Absence of Humanity
by mgsab123
Summary: To the darkest hell and back again; is it possible to still hold onto your humanity when you've become a hollow, unfeeling monster? A beast that doesn't care and craves blood? Can you change the story of a fallen hero after they've gone past the point of no return? Hollow/Espada Ichigo. Summary Inside.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I dont own Bleach...

Okay, so this is something I've had sitting around for a LONG time. Everything I wrote in here was from about... a year or two ago? This takes place in a scenario that when Ulquiorra came to first scope out the human world, him and Ichigo had a more epic fight... And Ichigo lost, thus turning into a Hollow (And gettting ranked high up since he is so bad ass) Everything I wrote here, and later on Ulquiorra's release, was written before it actually appeared in the manga (If you havent gotten there dont fret)... my mind was just thinking of what it wanted to see, and BAM something like it happened! So... I'll stop talking now. I have more of this already done so updates should be pretty fast... but only if people want them. Please review or something and ENJOY! xDD

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Ichigo absentmindedly ran his finger along the hole in his neck. He hated this mark, but yet it gave him almost everything he wanted. It gave him power and a place to feel sane. That was the best part, the absence of that cruel voice in the back of his mind.

His inner hollow tormented him no more; he was at peace within his mind. His own hollow transformation process had either erased or over powered his partial hollow; Ichigo really didn't care which one as long as that voice was silenced. But this hole, the same hole that brought him power and his sanity, also tore him away from everyone that had ever mattered. This hole isolated him and thus weakened him as much as it made him strong. This hole had one more meaning though. It tied him to Ulquiorra. They both had there holes in the same spot and the ironic part about it was that it had been Ulquiorra who had given him this hole. Ichigo hated feeling like he was like Ulquiorra in any ways or maybe it was just that he hated feeling connected to anyone anymore.

Ichigo stood above the dome of Las Noches, the night shining on his pale face. He looked no different then before at first glance, besides being a bit paler, but if you looked closer you could see a bit of mask underlining his right eye, that and the hole. The cursed hole that was as much of his savior as his destroyer. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. The worst part was that he didn't mind the power and his sanity; he maybe didn't even care about losing everyone. He had become heartless and that scared Ichigo. Throughout everything that had happened in his life, even when he had slowly been losing his sanity to his inner hollow, he had always felt human. That absents of humanity was what made Ichigo almost weep, but he couldn't. Those kinds of emotions didn't come to him anymore.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes and carelessly turned his face to look in the direction that he had heard footsteps, his face expressionless. As Ichigo stood waiting the footsteps got closer and closer in till he saw a black silhouette against the moonlight. As the silhouette came closer it took the shape of a black haired Espada, Ulquiorra.

"What do you want," Ichigo asked in a monotone voice. The funny thing was that even though he had lost most of his human traits bitterness and rage still were in the reach of his emotion scale, he had just gotten better at controlling his emotions and masking them with a glum appearance. Ichigo tried to mask the bitterness welling up in the pit of his stomach as Ulquiorra just looked at him with his lifeless look.

"Aizen-sama has called a meeting," replied Ulquiorra in an equally emotionless voice after stalling by casually leaning back and putting his hands in his pockets. He then turned and disappeared into the night without another word, not that Ichigo hadn't expected this.

Ichigo sighed as he closed his eyes again. He hated being called to these boring meetings, in which he would have to act like he cared, hear Grimmjaw's complaints and arguments with Nnoitra, and see Gin smiling. All of these things were predominantly unpleasant things for Ichigo to have to bear. But none the less he turned and started towards the meeting room. He might not like the meetings but if he didn't attend Aizen would be merciless, or so kind that it drove you insane. It was a kind of mind torture that Ichigo liked to not have to stress over.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach... sigh...

Okay, so I have a funny little story to share before you read this. I had posted this and a few chapters of other stories a few days ago, right? And I usually get review alerts and stuff sent to my email. But I kept checking... and checking... and checking, and still no emails! I was so upset, I thought nobody liked my new chapters and nobody had reviewed! Sooo I was shuffling through my account (just now) and I decided to look at my settings... it turns out that my review alert had gotten disabled xDD So, after reading all the reviews I missed, I am in SUCH a good mood and HAVE to put up a new chapter... So enjoy =)

And Thanks for the lovely reviews!

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When Ichigo got to the meeting room Grimmjaw and Nnoitra were already in each others faces arguing over who would get to do something. Ichigo just sighed and walked over to his seat and solemnly sat down. He tried to suppress their irritating voices by going over the saying, _When Aizen Comes…_

As if on cue Grimmjaw and Nnoitra fell silent as a sinister pressure suffocated the room, Aizen had come. The two fell back into their seats without another word. Ichigo turned his head lazily and saw Aizen, flanked by Gin and Tousen, leisurely walk into the room. Aizen had an amused smile on his face, Gin had on his usual sarcastic smile, and Tousen his usual frown, as if he disapproved of anything that Aizen didn't say was _Justice._ Ichigo flinched mentally at how Gin always seemed to smile, it was unnatural. When the three got to the table, and had sat down, Aizen sweep them all with a kind smile lingering on Grimmjaw and Nnoitra. This _smile_ made all the Espada look down at their feet. Aizen's _kind smile_ was enough to make shivers run up anyone's spine.

"Glad you all came," said Aizen in an appreciative voice, as if they had had a choice.

Ichigo turned his head to look away from Aizen. Being an Espada didn't change everything about how he felt about Aizen. He couldn't ever forget that him being there and an Espada, even him having once been a Shinigami, was traced back to Aizen's fault. If Aizen hadn't had anything to do with Rukia, had never made Ulquiorra an Espada, and had never done anything of his plan for power, Ichigo would have stayed a Human, oblivious to Soul Society and its affairs, but all of these things where past remorse's now, nothing to be done but grudgingly bear.

"I'm guessing you are all wondering why I called you here," he started as he reached for his tea and leisurely took a sip and then placed it back, he continued, "Well, we have a… problem with a group of humans and some Shinigami."

Ichigo jerked as Aizen said this, but his face and eyes stayed unemotional. Something led him to believe he knew who was causing trouble. He didn't really care too much about anyone from his old life anymore, he didn't have time. Between dealing with his new life and power he just stopped caring too much about what happened to people who would most likely kill him for being what he was now. The thought that they would probably kill him if they had a chance didn't bother him though, he would kill them on sight if he had too; he knew that so he couldn't really blame them for what they might do. Ichigo lived solely for himself now. He didn't even really care too much about what Aizen wanted or the other Espada, he just used them to stay powerful and sane. But that didn't come without a price.

"I want to eliminate them before they become a problem," Aizen said slowly looking at Ichigo, "They are in the human world of course but I have a feeling they are going to try to attack early and we cant have that," Aizen smiled as everyone tensed to see who would get to go, Grimmjaw and Nnoitra were almost falling out of their seats with a prospect of a fight near.

"Ichigo and Ulquiorra I want you to handle it" Aizen started when Grimmjaw growled.

"You are letting those two handle it?" said Grimmjaw as he rose from his seat, "Are you forgetting one of them was friendly with that group?" he jerked his head in Ichigo's direction, "And, well, the other is the type of person to let someone live if he doesn't see them as a threat," Grimmjaw looked right at Ulquiorra as he added in a raised voice, "The proof is that idiot sitting next to him!" Grimmjaw then growled as he finished, "Do you really want to have to re due the job after it was suppose to be done?"

Grimmjaw looked straight at Aizen, not even flinching when Aizen smiled. "If you must go, go, but don't ever talk back to me like that again" Aizen said in a saccharine voice.

Grimmjaw smiled a wild sort of grin; he looked like a starving animal who had sighted some delicious prey. Ichigo let out something between a groan and a growl, he HATED Grimmjaw and now he was going to have to put up with him. Then Ichigo felt like he was slapped in the face, he was also going with Ulquiorra. He felt the bitterness well up inside the pit of his stomach at the person who had given him his hole in his neck, the one who had made him a hollow by killing him. Ichigo tried to keep his unemotional face on, but he was getting really livid at who he had to go with. It wasn't his day.

"I expect you three to get the job done," Aizen said as he got up out of his seat and started to leave with Gin and Tousen. He turned back to the table and smiled in Grimmjaw's direction, he added, "In its entirety."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Yea... Do I need to keep saying it?

Longer chapter, yay! Hope you enjoy, and after this it gets to the good stuff! ;D

Please review!

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Ichigo sullenly walked along the dark halls of Las Noches. He was brooding about his trip to the human world that he would have to make. He grunted at the nuisance of it all. The human world was bad enough, with its air that contained little spirit particles or none, but to have the two people that he hated the most come along? He sighed and put his face in his hand trying, futilely, to keep back a growing headache.

Ichigo, unconsciously, touched his sword hilt. It was gentle to the touch but it was ice cold as if it was a living object that had lost all its energy. Ichigo slowly brought his hand away from his face and glanced at his sword. He had come to touching his sword whenever he was stressed or upset but whether it brought Ichigo comfort or more pain was another thing entirely. Some deep ache pained his heart. All of the people he had once known didn't mean anything to him anymore but there was one lost that seemed to hurt, torment, and nag something deep down inside of him, Zangetsu.

Arrancar's swords have a release form but there swords don't have there own spirits. So when Ichigo had transformed he not only lost his inner hollow he also lost his inner strength, his teacher. He grimaced as he remembered his last talk with Zangetsu.

_"So this is the end," Ichigo said as he stared off into the distance of this strange world, maybe for the last time._

_ "Yes," said Zangetsu who was already starting to fade._

_ "Don't, please, you can't leave me. You have taught me so much… you're my strength and the reason I even lived so long… Who the hell are you trying to kid? You can't leave me too, it seems I'm losing everything!," Ichigo said with a look of stressed pain, in a voice that was a mixture of a whine, plead, and demand._

_ "Sorry," said Zangetsu almost completely gone, "Sorry I failed you, and sorry you died. But even if the process is complete, I will not vanish completely. I will just be in a spot in which you can't hear me anymore and my power will be drained. If you hold on to your humanity I might be able to come back, but only maybe and that is if you hold on to what makes you who you are. Look deep within your soul if the times get too stressful. Goodbye and be strong, never stop moving forward even if I vanish. Never hesitate."_

_ "Zangetsu!" screamed Ichigo as the old man disappeared. He fell to the ground screaming as an intense pain ran through his body, like a thousand knifes being stabbed repetitiously all over his body. He felt like his soul was being ripped apart, a pain that hurt worse then his actual death. _

Ichigo grimaced as he grasped his sword hilt with all his strength, his knuckles turning white. He was fighting alone now, no one to help him. Ichigo remembered the monster that was Kenpachi, how he had never even bothered to learn his swords name. Now Ichigo was no better than that blood lusting monster. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes he had regained his composure once more.

Ichigo always felt this hollow feeling in his heart whenever he thought of his sword. It wasn't as if he had wanted to lose Zangetsu but some things can't be helped. His sword, it had become what he had tried to resist. His sword wasn't for protecting someone, fighting for justice, or to make sure no one feels the same kind of pain that he had. Now it was for mercilessly killing. It had become what he had feared, just a tool of death that brought only disappear and gore. The worst part was he could only feel this sense of loss inside him, he couldn't, or didn't care to, change anything.

Ichigo scowled at his own sentimental feelings. He was who he was now; there was no point in trying to change it or to wallow in the past. He had given up that life when he had lost, failed. He took a deep breath and resumed his walk to his room. He had on an impassive expression and he hoped that no one had seen him there in the hall.

Ichigo sighed, "How weak have I become, how far have I fallen?"

He stopped in front of a pitch black door. He lightly pushed on the door and it swung opened as if inviting him back. He thought back to his previous thoughts and he had a sudden suspicion that those words meant more then just how sentimental he had become. He shrugged this off though and walked into the darkness in front of him, into his new life. This darkness was where he belonged now; this is what his life had come to.

"_Help me," Ichigo gasped helpless on the ground as his blood soaked into the ground, "Don't let me…" he coughed up blood, "Die…" He was thinking of everyone, everyone that he had let down. He had failed miserably._

_Ulquiorra stepped in to the little light available from the moon, his wings as black as night and the marks on his face looking like scarred tears. He frowned at the dieing man in front of him, with a look that was a mixture of disgust and disappointment he said, "Foolish, why do you repent now? Your life is almost spent; your blood soils the ground below my feet, why do you choose now to be the time to repent?"_

_Ichigo could only cough up blood and glare at the figure in front of him. He was finally going to die; his inner hollow and Zangetsu couldn't help now. He scowled as he tried to push himself up once again, wincing as his muscles had a spasm in protest to the pain but still trying._

"_Foolish human, you never learn." said Ulquiorra with a stoic face and a voice that was of mocking pity._

_Ulquiorra lifted his hand slightly and wrapped it around Ichigo's neck, lifting him in the air. Ichigo could only grimace as his body hung there like a rag doll waiting to be killed. Ulquiorra lifted his other hand leisurely and struck it through Ichigo's already mangled body, right through the base of his neck. Ichigo's eyes widened as his body went dauntingly numb. He looked one last time at his killer. Ulquiorra hadn't even blinked as the blood rained to the ground and onto him. He had a look of superiority on his face, as if he was showing a fly what happens when it gets in his way._

_With Ichigo's last bit of energy left he growled, the blood that was running out of his mouth now making it sound more like a gurgle. He swore then and there to always hate everything about Ulquiorra and to one day put him in his place. Then the sudden recognition that he was living his last moments coursed through Ichigo's very being as his eyes widened and he coughed up blood once more, then his eyes slowly started to close._

"_No… Everyone…" _

Ichigo jumped slightly in surprise when he heard a knock on his door. He dully looked over at the door masking his sudden remembrance and perturbed mood. "Come in" he said in an expressionless tone.

A small girl with short light blue hair and onyx eyes stepped in. She was flushed and had a hesitant glitter to her eyes; she shuffled from foot to foot and said in a small voice, "They told me, to tell you, that it is time to go."

With this she bowed in till her nose was almost touching the ground and scurried off with a little squeak as she ran into the door frame. Ichigo stood musing over the girls reactions and then he sighed. It was time to go back to his old home with the people he hated the most, one who had killed him and the other he had fought in till the almost bitter end. He sighed in exasperation as he brought his hand to his temple, there was something nostalgic about this situation and he couldn't help thinking it was only going to get worst.

...

Ichigo growled inwardly at the scene before him. As soon as he had come into the room where he had been told to come, he had seen Nnoitra and Grimmjaw exchanging what he knew to be some form of violent tempered words that only those two could fully master. Nnoitra was getting violent as his short temper was waning, he was yelling in Grimmjaw's face and Grimmjaw was responding with a sneer and some rude remarks, which only made Nnoitra more infuriated and insensible.

"Why the hell do you get to go? Who do you think you are to mock me? Lets fight, then when I beat the living crap out of you maybe you will think better then to mock me," said Nnoitra as he reached for his weapon over his shoulder with an untamed glint to his eye.

Grimmjaw just chuckled and reached for his sword hilt unaffected by the rising spirit pressure of Nnoitra that was lashing about in an almost whip like way. Grimmjaw gave a deranged smile, as if he was about to have a blast, as his spirit pressure exploded around the room. Nnoitra yelled one last unintelligible sentence and rushed at Grimmjaw slashing at his neck. Before the blow was given Ulquiorra appeared and caught the blow with his bare hand. Nnoitra just growled and pulled back as he cursed under his breath and sulked off, there wasn't much you could say when Ulquiorra got involved, unless you wanted to die. Grimmjaw, who had been unaffected by the weapon coming at him and had had a twisted smile at the thought of fighting, was now glaring with murderous intent right at Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra just stood there with a stoic face as if nothing important enough had happened to unsettle him. Ulquiorra scanned the room with his eyes, when he got to where Ichigo was in the room he stopped and stared at him in an expressionless way. Ichigo just stared back at him equally expressionless. The room had a thick silence that seemed to suffocate its inhabitants as Ichigo and Ulquiorra stared each other down both not moving from the spot or showing any kind of emotions or thought of looking away. Grimmjaw stood frozen as his eyes darted from Ichigo to Ulquiorra, his eyes slightly widened by shock.

Grimmjaw tried to move a step back but his body wouldn't move even though every single fiber of his being was telling him that he should get away. There was something that was purely dangerous about Ichigo and Ulquiorra, something that made the bodies naturally instinct to get away. Ichigo and Ulquiorra weren't like Grimmjaw and Nnoitra. The latter two, when agitated or infuriated, had a deranged sort of uncontrolled power bursting around them lashing out in frightening amounts but Ichigo and Ulquiorra were the type that didn't have wild uncontrolled power but a slicing thickness of intense murderous intent. It was made even the more frightening not by the amounts but by the way they looked like nothing was happening at all, even when the thickness in the air became almost unbearable for anyone to handle.

"Ready?" came a saccharine voice. All three of them turned to face the source of the voice. Aizen was walking towards them, with Gin on his right smiling his sarcastic smile and Tousen on his left frowning, all of it very expected. Aizen was smiling as if nothing was out of the ordinary, as if the room was not filled with a thickness of murderous intent, which his presence was chilling to an unbearable point even for Ichigo and Ulquiorra.

All three of them said simultaneously, "Yes."

"Very good," said Aizen smiling as he looked at each one directly in the eye. He gave the impression like he was hiding something, Ichigo thought he was about to say something else but instead Aizen just said, "Have Fun."

With that Aizen, Gin and Tousen turned and walked away as a pitch black hole opened up. Ichigo stared into the darkness of the hole and sighed. He had a feeling he was going to regret this somehow. With that thought in mind he stepped through the darkness into the human world, his old home, the place where everything had all begun, Karkura Town.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Yea... I really hate these.

Sorry for taking forever to update! I feel so ashamed xD I've gotten a bunch of people adding my story to favorites and alerts 3 I thank you all so much and you present is a long-ass chapter! (or well it's pretty long... for me xD)

Hope you enjoy and review!

Oh, and I'll give a cookie to whoever can tell me why Chad looks so hurt by what Ichigo is doing/saying (besides the obvious of what Ichigo is trying to do) ;)

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The lights played in the distance, twinkling and flashing, lighting up the sky than dimming in a repetitious pattern. Ichigo and his companions stood in a disserted park not far from the nearest home. The darkness danced around them, fading when the houses in the distance got too bright but reappearing as the lights dimmed, but it didn't seem to bother any of the three. Ichigo and Ulquiorra stood in utter silence, not moving at all, but their companion wasn't as patient. Grimmjaw's eyes were moving around riotously; his mouth was in a permanent scowl and he had taken to pacing from one end of the park to the other. He seemed to be about to shout than hack up the nearest object, or person, when Ulquiorra stirred.

"We shall make our move," Ulquiorra bluntly said in a monotone.

Grimmjaw gave a wicked smile and Ichigo a dull stare. Ulquiorra started towards the lights not even looking back to see if his companions were following. Grimmjaw stalked after him looking joyfully murderous and Ichigo just sighed at how tedious it was to be with them both.

"How are we going to carry out our task?" Ichigo asked impassively, "I doubt they are going to walk out, all in a group, and come have a chat with us."

"Leave that to me," Grimmjaw sneered has he lifted his hand and aimed it at the largest building in Karkura town. Grimmjaw let out a slightly mad laugh as a red ball appeared in his hand and then blasted the building apart.

The building exploded and fell to the ground in a charred heap, a steady fire still burning away all the remains. The cry of startled humans exploded around the three. Grimmjaw laughed again and gave a smile only to be compared to a vicious animal that was having the time of its life. He darted forward in till he was hovering right over the flames still leaping from the building he destroyed.

"Come out and fight!" he cried into the night, "Or should I keep changing the landscape?"

Ulquiorra just stood a distance away from Grimmjaw, his hands in his pockets, looking as if everything in the world was just some meaningless bother to him. Ichigo tried to stay expressionless too but Grimmjaw's heated actions where starting to push him over the edge. Just as Ichigo took a step toward Grimmjaw, still trying to decide whether it best to beat the crap out of him for being too obnoxious or not, a blue arrow made of spirit particles flew right past Grimmjaw's face, just glancing it. Grimmjaw turned to look at the source, unharmed and unaffected in any way, with a wide malicious grin. It was time for him to have fun. Ulquiorra drifted his eyes to the source looking like there was nothing more then an ant present there.

Slowly, and lastly, Ichigo turned his head to look at the source of the arrow, already knowing who it was, with a look of complete annoyance bordering on disgust. There on the street looking like he wasn't going to get hurt, or didn't care, was Ishida.

"Leave this place alone. If you wanted me to come you should have just asked, I'm always glad to beat up useless beings," said Ishida in a voice that was laced with confidence and hate as he drew his bow back again to release another arrow.

Ichigo flashed stepped right in front of Ishida taking the arrow full on and not even blinking. Ishida cursed and took a step back. Ichigo heard him murmur something about Orihime before he turned and used his own type of flash step to get a good distance away from Ichigo. Ichigo saw Ulquiorra step in front of Grimmjaw to stop him from pouncing on the Quincy, stating that this was Ichigo's battle. Grimmjaw spit and looked ravenous as he cursed and yelled his protests.

Ichigo focused his attention back to the situation at hand just as a white beam almost got him in the back, except that he was too fast for it to even glance him. Ichigo turned to look at the new addition and was unsurprised to see Chad looking determined to do what he had to do, even if it meant taking his old friend down.

Ichigo, unlike with Ishida, admired Chad as a strong person who he used to be close with. He nodded his head politely in Chad's direction and acknowledged his existence, "Sado nice to see you. Nothing personal but I have orders," said Ichigo in a bored tone.

Chad winced. Something Ichigo had said had upset him, but what? Ichigo looked at him with an expressionless face but really he was curious, which was rare. What had he said that had been unexpected or hurtful, or even rude at that matter? But nothing more was said as Chad released another blast. Ichigo easily dodged this and the set of arrows that followed from Ishida. He flash stepped right in front of Chad and unsheathed his sword, the blade reflecting the moonlight. Ichigo nodded his head and slashed a quick, killing blow as Chad grunted and took a step back, bringing his hands up to try to block the blow.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, his sword never made contact with Chad. Instead it hit an orange shield in the shape of a triangle. Ichigo took a step back and cleared his face of all emotions, not even allowing himself to blink. He turned his head as slow as possible to look at the girl he knew would be behind him. Right as he predicted, Orihime was standing with her hands raised out in front of her, as tears ran down her face, looking broken in a way.

"Kurosaki-kun," she whispered in a chocked sob, "Why? Weren't we your friends?"

"I have no friends anymore, I have no one." Ichigo simply stated as he dodged another row of arrows.

"Don't you touch her," Ishida shouted as he ran towards Ichigo, which was a very rash move on his part. Ichigo shook his head and sighed, then he appeared in front of Ishida between a blink of an eye, faster then any flash step. Ishida's eyes widened as he predicted Ichigo's next move, but knew he was too slow to do anything about it. Orihime screamed, Chad shoot a blast towards Ichigo, and Ichigo slashed Ishida, not even thinking as his sword completely sliced through him. Ichigo then appeared in front of Chad, dodging the blast like it was nothing. Chad tried to dodge when Ichigo brought his sword down, but only managed in getting his arm easily sliced through.

Orihime broke down crying and fell to her knees, Chad cried out in pain as he held his shoulder, and Ichigo looked down at Chad unfazed by anything, still looking bored. He slowly lifted his sword and nodded his head in farewell to Chad, piercing him right below the neck. Blood gurgled out of Chad's mouth, the result of him trying to say something, and then his eyes slowly became unfocused. Even slower, his eyes closed and his head hit the pavement.

Ichigo turned to face a weeping Orihime with no emotions at all, not even a hint of remorse because he felt none. Here he was surrounded by his old friends blood, and covered in it himself, facing a hysterical Orihime, and he didn't feel any hint of sadness or remorse for it. He nonchalantly wiped the blood off his sword using his pants, then he returned it to its sheath. He slowly walked towards Orihime who stopped crying and looked up at him wide eyed and as a new emotion crossed her face.

"Please, stop…" she whispered some emotion making her words choked.

Ichigo continued his advance at a slow pace. Orihime, in response, fell backwards on her hands. It was then that Ichigo noticed the emotion, she was scared, no _terrified_, of him. Him. Ichigo Kurosaki. But how come he still didn't feel any kind of remorse or sadness? Surely he should feel something. But no, if anything Ichigo had to stop himself from smiling. Smiling at Orihime's fear. Of him.

Ichigo reached down and wrapped his fingers around Orihime's fragile neck. He lifted her so her feet were dangling in the air. She just whimpered as Ichigo tightened his grip on her neck, close to cutting off all of her breathing. He slowly lifted his other hand and pointed it like a blade. He was extending his hand, like a snake getting ready to strike. Ichigo stared into Orihime's petrified face, her face pale and her eyes wide, scared, and almost accusing. He tried to make himself feel some regret, but it still wouldn't come. Only a sense of murderous delight came, like a sly predator that had stalked their prey into a corner and was savoring their last anguish. Ichigo fought a smile and kept his face expressionless and his emotions un-sensible.

"Stop," came a curt expressionless voice.

Ichigo looked up at Ulquiorra who had come down with Grimmjaw, who looked pissed and murderous, as they stood before him in the alleyway. The sun was beginning to rise behind them and the sky was a purplish-orangeish color. Ichigo just glared at Ulquiorra.

"The mission was to kill them all, have you forgotten?" Ichigo said in an impassive voice.

"She could be of some use to us; I think we should bring her to Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra said as he causally turned and started to walk away.

Ichigo looked from Ulquiorra's retreating figure to Grimmjaw's murderous face and he wondered why Grimmjaw didn't say anything. It was then that Ichigo noticed how Grimmjaw seemed so resigned, well as much as he ever was. Ichigo just sighed, if Ulquiorra had got to Grimmjaw then Ichigo had no place to question what Ulquiorra really wanted, no matter how expectantly Grimmjaw was looking at Ichigo. Besides, seeing Ulquiorra getting talked to by Aizen, and maybe even getting his _kind smile_, was going to be enjoyable to him. Ichigo lowered the whimpering Orihime, who was looking at him with that same look as before of being scared and accusing. As soon as her feet touched the pavement he let go of her neck and grabbed her around the waist, throwing her over his shoulder as she let out a high pitch squeak. Ichigo smiled slightly and started after Ulquiorra. Grimmjaw, who had been standing completely still like a statue, grunted and mumbled a few curses under his breath as he followed after Ichigo.

They all would have kept going had someone not stepped in their way.

A man in a striped hat and clad in clogs, with a fan covering his face, chuckled. Ichigo felt his stare turn cold. He wasn't in any mood to deal with someone chuckling at him. His blood was still running cold and vicious and… blood thirsty. Always not quite quenched. But of course he made his face impassive. He had mastered this skill.

"Ah, Ichigo and company I hate to get in your way, I really do, but I can't allow you to go any farther with Miss Orihime. So if you don't mind please do me, and yourselves, a favor and hand her over and leave." Said the man with the hat-and-clogs.

Grimmjaw hadn't been completely broken, Ichigo doubted even Aizen could do that, for he smiled his trade-mark, murderous and wild, smile and put his hand on his sword's hilt. "Can I get this piece of trash out of our way?"

Ulquiorra ignored him and emotionlessly asked, "Who are you?"

"Well," the man said, "My name is Urahara Kisuke."

Ichigo stiffened as he had to control an intense hatred that spiked though him at the name. For some odd reason he wanted to punch this man more then he had ever wanted to punch someone before, even more then Grimmjaw or Nnoitra. The man, Urahara, was looking at him curiously, almost as if he was a test subject.

Ichigo had this feeling or instinct that the threat, who could exactly take Orihime from them, was behind them. He casually glanced behind them and sure enough a dark-skinned female with purple hair was stalking them. Ichigo had a gradual feeling of unease looking at the women. His mind processed one word… cat.

"Ulquiorra what are we going to do? We have pieces of trash on both sides. The one behind us is giving me a bad feeling… what is your name?" Ichigo said in an emotionless voice.

The women smiled, flashing slight fangs, and said, "Trash? Ichigo, did you really call me trash? I know you have changed but I didn't think that made you suicidal. I bet you still can't beat me at a game of tag! Well at least you can sense my strength… however deep down, you remember. My name is Yourichi."

Ichigo's free hand went to the hilt of his sword, "I remember… I have never forgotten. It just gets hard to remember people's names I don't care about." He said it, once again, emotionlessly. Never letting his true feelings through.

"I wonder if you remember me…" said a voice from above.

Ichigo stepped out of the way long before the man crashed down to the spot where he had been standing. He was an old looking man with stubble; he had a bitter smile on his face as he looked at Ichigo.

Ichigo gave no recognition that he knew the man. He didn't want to know this man, but he did. Even though he knew this man, and even his name though he would never admit to it, he felt no emotions triggered by him. Ichigo smiled bitterly in his mind, his actual face staying expressionless. He couldn't feel the emotions that this man would have caused. He knew that. He didn't feel those kinds of emotions anymore, couldn't feel those emotions anymore. This man was none other then his dad.

Espada's don't feel sentimental… they don't feel love… or trust… or that loving hate… or fondness… or any pleasant emotions really. They were hollow.

The man, his dad, sighed and ran his fingers through his thinning hair, "Well Ichigo that sure makes me upset…"

Before his dad could say anything else Ichigo turned to his comrades, "Let's go. We have wasted too much time."

Ulquiorra nodded his head and ran his finger in a line through the air. A black space opened before him. Ulquiorra stepped into the dark not even making sure they followed. Grimmjaw muttered more curses under his breath and followed. Ichigo walked towards the portal. All three of the adults were looking at him pleadingly. He ignored them and kept walking.

When Ichigo was in front of the portal his dad whispered in a voice laced with more pain and suffering then Ichigo had ever heard it before, "Don't go… please…. Stay"

Ichigo didn't hesitate. Without even looking back at the three people who were important to him, who were pleading with him to stay, Ichigo stepped into the portal. Stepped into the dark. He didn't care. They were nothing to him now. He wasn't who he used to be. His heart was hollow now. He preferred the dark. In the dark you can't see what's messed up, everything just blurs together. You can't see what's missing.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Yup, You know this.

Happy New Year! Oh, and i'm kinda sorry for this chapter... I'm not positive if it is my BEST but... I'll let you guys judge. Oh, and as the Italics mean... This is a flash back. People have asked what number Ichigo is... so I'm finally telling! Yay! Read, Enjoy, AND Review!

_

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_

_The first few days were the worst._

_He couldn't really remember too much of it though, but some things go beyond plain memories. The emotions were raw and painfully lucid. He would never forget the darkness… the lost of sight through his own eyes as everything changed around him… the pain… the lost of his own feelings as they got scorched from his mind… the fire… the lost of his body as it morphed into something hollow…_

_Ichigo opened his eyes slowly. He felt… normal. Nothing burned anymore, it was just… nothing. He felt numb. Hollow. He lifted his hand before his eyes looking, just looking. He didn't know why, but he couldn't look away from his hand. It looked the same, besides maybe a little paler. He kept looking, he couldn't understand why; for some reason, he examined every part of his hand over and over. He finally understood that he was looking for something, anything, to be different. To show that he wasn't himself anymore… but no. He found nothing. No matter how long he looked at his hand, it looked the same as before. It hadn't changed._

_But he had._

_Ichigo couldn't forget what had happened. He knew he had died; he knew he was now an Espada… or well Arrancar... he wasn't sure too much of the ranking. The numbness got overthrown as a burning rage built up inside him. It was a murderous, uncontrolled rage. Around him, the floor started to crack from the pressure of his spiritual pressure. It swished around like a whip, crumbling random objects in the room. _

_Ichigo just clawed his head, rolling on the ground as it became too much for him to handle. He wanted so bad to kill. He wanted to be smothered in blood. He wanted to hear screams of fear and pain. He… he… he was scared of himself._

_"Hm, a scary one aren't we?" came a cool female's voice._

_Ichigo was on his feet in seconds, the speaker's neck clenched in his hand. The speaker didn't even flinch though; she just stared at him as if he was a mere fly. She was a pretty tan skinned blond who looked like she disliked everything… or just Ichigo._

_Ichigo gave her a small smile and tightened his hand around her neck. He smiled wider as a flicker of fear showed in her eyes. He had nothing against this woman, but at the moment it really didn't matter who it was. Blood splattered as he ripped out the woman's throat. Blood coated him as well as the ground._

_It felt good._

_"Harribel? What are you doing?" roared a deep, old voice as blood gurgled out of the woman's mouth._

_Ichigo threw the woman, Harribel, aside. He didn't even glance as her body hit the wall. Ichigo turned to face the new comer, his face a sneer. The newcomer was nothing more then an old man. _

_He didn't even have to try before the man's blood soaked the floor as well._

_Ichigo laughed. It was a cruel sound. He walked to the now dead bodies, crushing each until it was unrecognizable. Stomping his foot again and again, feeling bone crumble, skulls crack. He laughed the whole time._

_After he had calmed down, Ichigo looked around him. He felt his stomach tighten as he looked at the carnage. He didn't care. That was what made him pause. He was a monster now. And he couldn't find it in himself to care._

_That was when Aizen walked in._

_That was when Ichigo was given the place as the second Espada._

_That was when the world changed beyond repair._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Yea... Only if I'm dreaming...

Well, this is a short chapter but... well, it's needed to move on to the important stuff xD I know I took forever to update but the good news is I now know where this story is going and how it will end. Let's just say, I might get yelled at by some for the ending... but until then, enjoy!

Dont forget to review. Seriously. REVIEW!

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This was his favorite room, beside the faux open sky area outside. It was massive in its structure and it seemed to reach to the sky. The pillars that held up the almost non existent ceiling- for it seemed that far above you and was pure black- were as big as anything, and as wide as at least twenty people put together. The whole room, besides the ceiling, was a dusty white. He assumed it was just stone, but at times when his fingers brushed it he could swear it felt glassy almost like marble.

Yes, this was Ichigo's favorite room. It was open, and didn't seem to suffocate him like almost every other room. This room was also usually quiet. That was another of the reasons he liked this room best. It was a place he could rest in peace. This room was actually Aizen's room. It was were Aizen liked to sit above everything else and stare down at the insignificant things below. It was also were the Hokoyo was stored in a complex glass structure that didn't reflect through.

Aizen had allowed him to just sit off in a corner and think. Which always surprised Ichigo. Actually, after Ichigo had first limped into this room, sitting against a cold wall, and had felt its open presence- it was around when he first became an Espada- Aizen had added a little corner just for him. Now he didn't have to sit against the wall anymore. A comfortable chair had been added for him along with a little black storage spot where he could keep various things.

The only thing that Ichigo didn't like about the room was Aizen's throne. It seemed to mock him, for it was always above him. Even when Aizen wasn't sitting in it, it was above him. The fact that a simple chair could hold such exceeding reverence over him bothered Ichigo to no end. It seemed to always tower over him, keeping him down. On many occasions, Ichigo had been close to breaking it. But he didn't. He was a master at hiding his emotions now and would- at the most- give it nothing more then a sharp glare before his face became impassive and stared off into the distance again in thought.

This room was where Ichigo found himself now. Ulquiorra and Grimmjaw flanked him on either side and he held a girl, who he had knocked out on the way here out of annoyance of her sobs and struggling, over his shoulder. Bloodstained with his old friend's blood, he entered without faltering; without caring. It was a step up, he guessed. The first time, it had been two other Espada's blood. The time after that, a random hollow- he had gotten bored. Again and again he had come into this room with blood on him. Ichigo recalled faintly that once or twice it had even been a random human soul's blood. Once a live human's. Now, it was his "friends" blood. Yes, he had progressed.

"You're back," Aizen smiled down at them from atop his throne, "How did it go? No problems I assume?"

Ichigo was about to answer, when the girl over his shoulder, Orihime, started stirring. He shifted her off his shoulder, and she fell to the ground. Ichigo vaguely thought that he hadn't really had to deposit her on the floor as roughly as he had but he couldn't find it in him to really care. Orihime, after recovering from the drop, looked around her with wide eyes, scared. Tears seemed to have been frozen in place on her face, her hair was a mess and caked with her friend's blood- whom she had had to see killed right before her eyes. She was a mess.

"Perfect," Aizen whispered before he continued louder, "Ichigo, I want you to watch this girl. She will be needed."

Ichigo had to withhold a twitch. He stared at the pathetic scrap of a human girl at his feet. She stared back at him, her eyes terrified. She was even whimpering quietly.

"Must it be me?" Ichigo questioned, trying hard to keep his voice unemotional.

Aizen just stared at him and a million things seemed to be held in that single stare. No words were necessary.

"Fine." Ichigo said bluntly as he reached down and grabbed Orihime's arm and dragged her to her feet and half way across the room before she could comprehend what was happening and let out a little squeak. "Fine."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: That same as usual...

Okay... I know it's been forever since I updated so... I'm going to give you a few chapters! These next few chapters is when things really start moving... Tell me if you like where it's going! If something upsets you, please tell me! I strive to get better! And by the way, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to writing and put it off... so the more reviews that I get helps me write!

Hope you enjoy!

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"_Tired?" a voice echoed in Ichigo's mind._

Ichigo winced as he opened his eyes. He sighed as he realized that he had been reading in the throne room, but had fallen asleep. The past few days had been sleepless for him because of the constant crying of the girl, Orihime. His eyes now had dark bags under them and he was prone to constant headaches. Like now. His head was pounding in his skull.

"_Tired?" _the voice inquired again, a ringing sound seeming to follow it.

He gritted his teeth as the voice repeated itself, cursing his luck that today was the day that it decided to be chatty. Usually the voice wasn't this loud… or annoying. But now it hummed in his head, a ringing sound that seemed to not want to stop. Now, he would have been worried- hearing voices in your head was never a good sign of your sanity- but he had heard this voice many times before. It was the hogyoku.

"_What do you want?" _he questioned in his mind.

"_Nothing, was just wondering."_

Ichigo glanced up at where the hogyoku was. He didn't really remember the first time that it had spoken to him; he had just assumed that it was as bored as him. It usually didn't bother him too much- maybe asking a question here and there- but today it was making his headache worse.

"_Could you stop the ringing?" _Ichigo questioned.

"_No."_

Ichigo was about to comment on the hogyoku's attitude today- it usually wasn't so defiant- when something was sent hurtling at his head. He easily avoided it by a simple tilt of his head, looking around to stare at whatever had thrown the object.

"Che," sneered Grimmjaw as he stalked into Ichigo's line of sight, "Thought you'd be in here… but I didn't expect you not to notice me coming."

"What do you want, Grimmjaw?" Ichigo questioned emotionlessly, resting his head against his hand.

"The girl." Grimmjaw snarled as he grinned maliciously, "I need her to fix me up so I can go back and kick that bastard's ass."

Ichigo looked over Grimmjaw, finally noticing the wounds and blood that coated his body. He had a deep cut running down his chest and his left arm seemed to be hanging limply. His clothes were also torn up, along with some head wounds that were dripping blood onto the floor.

Ichigo couldn't suppress a slight smile, "Nnoitra?"

Grimmjaw glared at him and snarled, "Shut up!"

"So it was Nnoitra." Ichigo commented with obvious mirth.

That was when Ichigo knew enough to duck down in the chair, a sword appearing where his head had been. Ichigo drew his own sword, slashing out to make Grimmjaw retreat back.

Ichigo stood and tossed his sword from hand to hand, expression dull but eyes ablaze, "Are you going to attack me while you're wounded?"

Grimmjaw sneered, striking out at Ichigo repeatedly, clashing metal ringing throughout the room, "It doesn't matter if I'm hurt or not, I can't lose!"

Ichigo easily blocked the blows, adding a few new wounds to Grimmjaw's arms and torso without trying, "Hmmm," Ichigo started, slashing in an upward arch, his sword lashing out to add another deep wound to Grimmjaw's chest, "I wonder about that."

Grimmjaw fell to his knees, cursing. His sword stayed firm in his hand as he gritted his teeth against the pain. He lunged towards Ichigo from his knees, a crazed look in his eyes. Ichigo easily dodged it, stepping to the side as Grimmjaw's weight took him forward… and behind Ichigo.

"Cero!"

Ichigo turned just in time, dodging by a breath. The blast, though, continued. Right to where Orihime had been sitting in the corner. She let out a cry as her eyes went wide. Then, her eyes slowly closed, accepting it. Before the cero could hit, Ulquiorra appeared in front of her out of no where. He lifted his hand, knocking the cero away, his jacket fanning out from the blast.

Ulquiorra glanced down at Orihime, expressionless, before he turned his stare on Ichigo and Grimmjaw, "Ichigo, is it not your responsibility to watch this girl?"

Ichigo looked at Orihime's whimpering form apathetically, "She seems fine to me."

He appeared before her, leaning down to look her in the eyes as his hand reached out and cupped her chin, "You're fine, right?"

Orihime let out a strangled sound as she pushed herself behind Ulquiorra, away from Ichigo.

Anger flashed in Ichigo's eyes but disappeared quickly. He straightened his back as his face became emotionless. "Well."

Ulquiorra looked down at Orihime, who was clutching the ends of his jacket while looking at Ichigo with complete horror.

"I'll watch her." Ulquiorra whispered down at Orihime before looking up and looking straight at Ichigo, "I'll watch her. You seem too incompetent to do such a task."

"Take her." Ichigo deadpanned, ending the conversation by walking out of the throne room with his hands in his pockets.

"_Upset?" _the hogyoku questioned in Ichigo's mind.

"_She's worthless to me." _He responded without any hesitation, his thoughts as emotionless as his expression_, "Worthless…"_


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Read and Review!

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Ichigo walked through the dark that could only be found outside the dome of Loch Noches. The moon shone down, pale and broken, illuminating the sand and barren trees. The area had an eerie, almost wax-like, quality and was silent except for the stirring of the sand from the ever present wind. The moon was what drew Ichigo outside of the dome the most, but the sand also held his appeal. It always seemed to be alive, dancing in spirals and running in little clouds. It was never still, but wasn't annoyingly loud.

Ichigo kept his hands in his pockets and his visage blank. He kept walking, watching the sand twirl around his feet. It lulled his mind from its chaotic thoughts. He seemed to always be thinking lately.

After walking a bit more, Ichigo stopped and just stared at the sky. His face darkened slightly as he thought of Ulquiorra taking care of Orihime. It wasn't that he cared for the girl in any way, but it irked him in some way that Ulquiorra even wanted to watch over her.

It was odd for Ulquiorra to have an interest in a human…

Ichigo mentally scoffed at himself. He was over thinking things. Ulquiorra just wanted to keep her as safe as possible for Aizen. Ulquiorra knew enough about Ichigo to be aware of the fact that he wouldn't go out of his way- wouldn't even try- to do such a trivial thing as keep someone safe. Even if it was for Aizen. Or maybe_ because_ it was for Aizen.

_"You don't like Aizen?" _came the hogyoku's voice in his mind, only a slight whisper because of the distance.

_"I don't really care about his goals. That's all." _came Ichigo's slightly curt reply.

_"You sound like you're lying… actually, I can tell you are."_

_"Yea?"_

The hogyoku was silent for a bit before it responded,_ "You're bitter towards him. You feel everything was his fault."_

Ichigo didn't answer. He knew that to be true, but he was slightly worried that the hogyoku seemed to be able to tell. Was it that obvious? Could others tell? Did he care if others knew?

He continued to stare up at the moon, thinking. He had a feeling that something was going to happen, and soon. It was nothing more then a whisper of a thought in the back of his mind, a small bud. But the longer he stared up at the moon, the more certain he became. The bud seemed to blossom, until it filled his mind with the thought. A small smile graced his lips as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

Things were going to get interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Read and Review!

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"Women, you need to eat." Ulquiorra restated for what felt like the hundredth time.

Orihime just continued to sit there against the cold wall, her eyes vacant and staring down at her hands.

"Why are you so upset?" Ulquiorra questioned, surprised that he was slightly curious.

"My heart… feels like it's going to explode… I… I…" Orihime whispered before tears once again began to fall.

"Your heart?" Ulquiorra looked down at the girl before him. Heart? He couldn't comprehend that… but he could tell it was painful. Her face was miserable, her hair disheveled. Her eyes held something that Ulquiorra could only guess was hopelessness. That was when he understood.

"Kurosaki, Ichigo." Ulquiorra said brusquely.

"That… wasn't… Ichigo…" Orihime choked out, her hands tightening in her lap.

Ulquiorra stared at those hands, so tiny as they clenched and unclenched. But why should that matter?

"You were expecting something else."

Orihime couldn't respond with words, she just silently nodded her head.

"What were you hoping for?" He found himself asking, the words just finding their way out.

Ulquiorra was defiantly curious, curious despite himself. He found himself wondering why, but only got a vague feeling to answer. A feeling he couldn't put a name to.

"I…" Orihime whispered as she swallowed back the burning feeling of tears in her throat, "I…"

"Tell me." Ulquiorra found himself saying. Quietly- not nice- but gentle enough. Completely out of character for him. Once again he found himself wondering as to why he cared at all.

Orihime bit her lip. She looked into Ulquiorra's eyes and something seemed to break within her. She seemed to be unable to hold it in any longer and the words started to pour out. "I was hoping that he'd still be my Ichigo… That he would come and smile… That he would say everything's all right… That somehow he would make everything okay… But that person was not him… it couldn't be…" she whimpered here, her hands tangling themselves in her hair.

"That was Ichigo Kurosaki."

"No!" Orihime screamed as her tears fell to the ground, "That wasn't Ichigo!"

Ulquiorra was puzzled. There wasn't much that could confuse him, but this idiotic girl did. Why couldn't she accept the truth?... And why did he care?

"Ichigo Kurosaki is now an Espada. In short, he's an advance hollow. He's dead. I killed him myself, my very own hands piercing through him. I saw his life end then begin again as something not quite living. He is now something made only of hate."

Orihime seemed to freeze.

"The one you know as Ichigo Kurosaki doesn't exist anymore. He's an empty shell. He has no heart."

Orihime's hands dropped slowly from her head. She stared off into the distance; the only movement was the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She seemed to be numbed by the truth, caught in between not being able to accept and not being able to deny what was happening around her.

"But…" Orihime whispered, her voice quivering with something, "But what am I suppose to do now?"

Orihime looked at Ulquiorra with desperate eyes. Her eyes seemed to be shouting her feelings, not hiding anything. It seemed to all be clearly painted all over her face. But Ulquiorra couldn't understand. These feelings, emotions, weren't things that he knew how to comprehend. Ulquiorra tilted his head as he tried to piece these odd emotions together. He felt something, seeing such a small girl sitting by herself. She looked so insignificant, so worthless. Then it clicked.

Lonely.

This girl before him was lost and lonely. Her very world that she knew had slowly been torn away, stained red with blood. The blood of the people she cared for, the blood of her friends. Her only savior had been taken and turned into a villain.

He understood it now.

But that didn't mean he knew how to help.

Him and the girl just continued to stare at each other. Neither knew what to expect, neither knew what to do.

They were at an impasse. One which Ulquiorra knew they didn't have the capability to overcome… but he still found himself wanting to help this girl. He didn't know why, it all confused him, but he wanted to change. He wanted to change so that he would be able to overcome their impasse and help her. He had a strange urge to see her smile.

Ulquiorra turned on his heels and walked outside of the room, unable to take it anymore. He leaned against the cold wall of the hallway, listening as the girl started crying again. He wanted to go back in. But he wouldn't... Yet something was drawing him back in. He couldn't understand. For once in his life, Ulquiorra felt himself not in control. He pushed off the wall and walked down the hall at a brisk pace. He didn't know what to do.

He was scared.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

Read and Review!

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The screens flickered between various images, changing frequently because of his lack of interest in any one thing. It was all so dull… Aizen was, to put it simply, bored. Bored with the trivial things around him.

The screens changed, showing Aizen things that he already knew would happen… everything was just that predictable. Yes, Aizen knew his pawns well.

"_**No Wonderweis, don't chew on that…"**_

Then a sigh.

"_**mhmmm"**_

Then more silence due to meditating.

"_**I wonder how long it can live?"**_

Then an evil chuckle and screams. Plenty of screams.

**"Stark! Wake up!"**

Then a pained cry as one gets forced awake.

"…"

Nothing but silent footsteps and darkness.

"…"

Once again silence with nothing but the shining moon for company.

"_**I'll win!"**_

Then blood. Lots of blood.

"_**You thing this is enough food?"**_

Then bones breaking and a thunk.

"_**Ulquiorra has been acting weird lately…"**_

Then a scoff and a "not that I really give a damn"

Aizen sighed as he rested his head on his hand. If the action didn't start soon- anything to move the wheel into action- he just knew he's die of boredom. He wasn't meant to be suffocated.

"Spying?" came Gin's almost mocking tone along with his usual smile, appearing out of the shadows seemingly from nowhere.

"No. Just observing." Aizen answered, unable to hide his lack of ethusiasium.

"Heh, you're as bored as ever Aizen- _sama. _I can tell by that murderous look of yours. Things better start moving eh?"

All said with a smile. Really, sometimes he pondered Gin's intelligence… or maybe it was just lack of fear? Either way, Gin was always pushing. He was a coiled snake, always ready to strike. Aizen could hurt this… child. He could never think of Gin as anything more then that, a naughty child.

Aizen decided to just ignore him and continue looking at the screens. They changed as fast as before except one line stood out.

"_**Acting… Weird…"**_

Aizen focused in on what appeared to be Grimmjaw talking to… Stark?

Aizen's attention was caught.

The screen hummed, the image pixilated.

"_**It's strange." Grimmjaw's voice came out distorted, "Ever since that girl came, Ulquiorra's acting different."**_

Aizen smiled slightly. Finally something new to think on, something interesting.

From his right hand side Gin chuckled, "You know it's scary when you do that?"

Aizen looked at Gin and said happily, "You're glad too. That's why you came, for something to do."

Something flashed in Gin's eye before he continued smiling, putting his hands up in mock surrender, "You got me!"

"_Maybe the wheel is finally moving"_ Aizen thought as he smiled at the screen, _"Maybe…"_

That last image that flashed on the screen was of the crystal case. The thing that held the greatest tool, the hogyoku.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach...

I'm sorry it took so long to upload... I actually have had this written for a bit. Well... Enjoy! Oh, and review. Reviews help me greatly to improve and write more!

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"Pay attention now." Yamamoto's voice rang out, silencing all traces of noise from the Captains and Lieutenants lined up before him.

"Why'd you call us all here Yama-jii?" Kyoraku said, his voice barely above a whine as he rubbed his eyes.

Yamamoto leveled his gaze on Kyoraku who shrank back with a small laugh. After waiting a few moments, in which no one commented or said a word, he cleared his throat.

"I'll only say this once," Yamamoto started, "Ever since the ex-substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo, was killed and turned into an Espada, things have slowly gotten worse for our side. Just recently a pair of three Espada, one of which was Kurosaki Ichigo, appeared in Kakakura town. It was reported that Kurosaki then went on to kill the Quincy and the human Yasutora Sado. The group of Espada then left, taking the human Orihime Inoue."

"It can not be ignored any longer..." he stared into the eyes of every Captain and Lieutenant before raising his tone and finishing in a voice that seemed to vibrate the very walls themselves, "We must fight now! Get teams prepared to invade Hueco Mundo!"

The captains and lieutenants solemnly nodded their heads and walked out; knowing the path ahead was going to be a bloody one and there was nothing left to say about it. But that was their duty, to keep the balance. And to keep the balance, war sometimes was necessary. And war was never pretty.

Yes, all the captains and lieutenants, except maybe a few exceptions, were not happy to be storming into the enemy's territory to fight a battle that was already covered in blood and death of comrades in their minds. But that is simply what war is.

Byakuya came to a pause outside of the massive doors, looking straight ahead. His gaze slowly rested on the person that stood before him.

"Did you hear?"

Rukia gritted her teeth as she fought back tears, not able to say a word.

"Rukia," Byakuya started his voice emotionless, "Will you be able to do what is needed?"

Rukia looked up, her face stained with tears but determined, "Yes, nii-san. I… I will be able to do what is needed."

With this she turned and whispered as she walked away, "I will carry out the punishment on Kurosaki Ichigo for the killing of humans myself…"


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach... yet. (I can wish)_

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_As Aizen smiles at the image on the screen, sipping his tea…_

_As Ichigo stares at the moon, thoughts budding in his head…_

_As Ulquiorra silently walks down the dark hallway, wanting to be able to change.._

_As Orihime sits crying, broken apart and lost…_

_As words of doubt get whispered around…_

Ichigo puts his hands in his pockets, a small smile still on his face. He turns to head back, only to be frozen in place…

Every head turns.

Words get cut off.

Smiles creep into place.

Frowns appear on some.

The wheel starts moving… And once in motion, nothing can stop its course…

With this the alarm sounds, vibrating through every wall in Hueco Mundo. Signaling… intruders.

Aizen rests his head in his hand, that small smile still present. The alarm sounds around him signaling to him the end of his boredom. He sits back in his chair as he stares up at the screen showing the Shinigami far away but yet still steadily approaching.

"Things are finally getting interesting…" he whispers as he slowly stands, "Now everything finally begins."


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I still don't own...

Okay, this is going to be the last chapter before the big fight! I'm going to take my time writing the fight ( I mean because I never usually do that, right?) because I want it to be the best that I can make it. If there's anything you really want to see, please tell me. I hope you enjoy and please, please, review!

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Ichigo slowly made his way to where all of the Espada had been told to meet. His gaze was emotionless, a blank slate. It didn't show the thoughts toying in his head.

"_Is this what I felt stirring before?"_ Ichigo questioned to the hogyoku.

"_What, are you scared of what you'll have to do?" _

"_Where did you get that false idea from?"_ Ichigo replied bluntly an edge to his voice.

"_So you're not?"_

Ichigo paused a minute before answering, _"I think I passed the point of caring about what I'll have to do long ago."_

"_So you're fine with fighting the Soul Society?"_

Ichigo sighed, _"Well, I can't seem to care. Does that count?"_

The hogyoku didn't answer right away. Ichigo got all the way to the door of the appointed meeting room before it spoke up one last time.

"_Either way, I promise to help you fight."_

Ichigo paused in confusion, not sure what the hogyoku meant. Help him fight? Ichigo felt something ominous in that thought. A battle field seemed to appear in his mind, one with blood as far as the eye could see. And corpses. Corpses of both Arrancar and Soul Reapers. And standing in the center of it all, face emotionless but splattered with blood, was himself.

Ichigo shook his head to clear the image, but not because it bothered him. Truly he didn't care. The image did nothing more then give some part of him a grim satisfaction. He wouldn't fully admit it, but he felt bitter towards both parties.

Something inside him withered in joy at seeing the carnage. Something that seemed to thirst for the world to pay for its bitterness in blood.

Ichigo chuckled darkly, knowing that he wouldn't really mind seeing both sides burn. Better yet if he was the cause.

Ichigo had been so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't feel the presence creep up behind him until a hand rested on his shoulder. He turned his face slightly, ready to slice off the hand, to see that said hand belonged to none other then Aizen. Something dark inside him coiled at the sight of Aizen, but Ichigo remained passive.

"Yes?" Ichigo asked curtly, bringing a smile to Aizen's face.

"I'm giving you special orders."

Ichigo just stared at him emotionlessly, not saying a word.

Aizen sighed at his lack of enthusiasm but was unable to stop that small smile from reappearing on his own face, "Kurosaki Ichigo," He started slowly, "You are not to participate in the battle until I say it is time. You will wait on the sidelines with Gin, Tousen and myself. Understood?"

Ichigo swallowed his pride as he slightly nodded his head, "Yes Aizen…-sama."

Aizen smiled widely, "Very good. And don't worry," he started as he walked past Ichigo to go into the meeting room, a now menacing smile on his face, "I think that it's going to be very entertaining."

Tousen followed Aizen into the room, Gin not far behind. As Gin brushed by Ichigo he couldn't help but notice the serious gaze on Gin's face, how his eyes were a deep red… and how the smile that plastered his face seemed almost as menacing as Aizen's.

"_Yes," _Ichigo thought with an amused air as he watched Aizen's back retreating into the room followed by Tousen and Gin, an image of Aizen falling to the bloodied ground, dead, flashing through his mind, _"Very entertaining indeed."_


	14. Chapter 14

Merry Christmas! (Early Christmas where I am)

I've finally finished typing up the whole story! Yay! I want to thank you all for being so patient and reading this far! I am soooo sorry it took so long!

As an early present (I'll post another chapter tomorrow night) I give you this teaser bit below! I'll try to at least post a chapter a week... because there is no excuse for me now since it's all done!

And, well, I was re-reading the beginning of this story and... HOW THE HELL DID YOU GUYS GET TO THIS CHAPTER? The first few chapters are so... rough... to read xD

I hope I've improved!

Sooooo after such a llllllllooooooooooonnnnnnngg ggggg wait... read and enjoy! (This little paragraph of the story to get you back into it for tomorrow!)

* * *

The sounds of war could be heard throughout the whole of Hueco Mundo. Ichigo tapped his finger against the hilt of his sword, wishing he could join in. The thrill of fighting beckoned to him, but yet here he was sitting on the sidelines, his sword sheathed. Him and his sword thirsted for blood, to cut down powerful foes, to feel the weight of taking away someone's life… Ichigo had to force himself to keep his composure and not strike out at Aizen and join the fray of fighting bodies.

Almost as if sensing his distress, Aizen turned to him and smiled, "Be patient, your chance will come."

Ichigo waited a minute, biting back foul remarks as he concentrated on his composure, his visage emotionless, "Yes, Aizen."


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Yea... I don't own (did i forget to do this in the previous chapter? whoops.)

Here's the chapter I promised! Enjoy!... and review. I like reviews.

* * *

Ulquiorra didn't have to think much as he cut down the pathetic Shinigami. None who came before him called for the necessity of using anything more then a hand, but he hadn't the patience to deal with repetitively dirtying his hands over a swarm of creatures that were nothing more then ants in his eyes. It was because of this that his sword is what danced through the perpetual moonlight that engulfed Los Noches. It was brutal of him he knew; they were like lambs to the slaughter. Helpless.

If Ulquiorra had felt human emotions, he knew that his actions held no pride. But that was only if. He could almost lament with the pitiful fools before him, but that was as far as his emotions extended. They were just helpless fools that were in the way.

Ulquiorra paused, his sword sticking out of a gasping shinigami's stomach. For some reason he felt something in his stomach… something odd… was it the "worry" that humans talked about? That "gut feeling" that told of something bad? Then he heard it. Through all the sounds of battle, he heard it. That women's cry.

Orihime was it trouble.

But why should he care? He didn't, he convinced himself, though that didn't stop him from being compelled to look for her. His emotionless eyes searched in what could only be considered a frantic fashion by his standards. He couldn't understand why he felt this need to know where she was, but he couldn't deny now that he did. He felt that feeling again in his stomach, that worry. It was such a horrible thing really, he concluded. It burned his insides like a poison.

Finally he saw her. She was on the ground, bloodied, her hand up as if to defend herself. Yammy was laughing, preparing to strike her, but a Shinigami- who was badly injured with her right arm hanging limply and blood trailing down her face- stood in front of Yammy's strike. The raven haired Shinigami took the full force of the blow, flying through the air in an arc. Blood rained after her, the light from the false moon making her battered form appear softened. The Shinigami landed hard, more blood flying out from her at the impact. Orihime cried out in distress, her hand reaching futilely towards the fallen Shinigami. The Shinigami surprised Ulquiorra by moving. She tried to push herself to her feet, but failed. Again and again she kept trying, but it was useless. She couldn't move. Yammy lifted his hand, laughing, as he struck the small raven haired Shinigami again. She didn't get up.

Ulquiorra watched as Yammy turned towards Orihime, her eyes wide. She knew she was going to die.

Then her eyes landed on his. Time seemed to slow as he took in her wide eyes, tears slowly falling down her dust covered face. She stared at him- taking in his blood stained hands… his emotionless eyes… his sword resting at his side, dripping blood- seemingly asking him a question that he couldn't understand. He could hear something, a steady beat that seemed to engulf all his other senses. It was all that he could hear even through all the sounds that went along with a battle. She smiled slightly, as if expecting no answer to the question that she had tried to ask. It was a soft thing that seemed to make his chest hurt. She turned her eyes away from his, looking down at the ground demurely.

Then time seemed to speed up.

Ulquiorra watched as Yammy lifted his fist to strike Orihime, her eyes slowly closing. She had accepted that she was going to die.

A cold rage built up inside Ulquiorra. He couldn't explain his next actions, but it seemed as if everything had become painfully lucid… He wouldn't let that women die.

"Enclose."

Green light engulfed him as his sword's released power radiated through him. His black wings beat behind him, eager to be in flight. He gave no thought to it, he just moved. Nothing else mattered; everything else was just a blur. The only focus he had was her, Orihime.

He wouldn't let her die.

…

Orihime waited for the impact, tears still streaming from her closed eyes. Her only thought was that she hoped Rukia was alright, but something in her gut told her that it wasn't so.

Suddenly a billow of wind blasted into her. She instinctively lifted her hands to protect her face, her eyes opening in shock. What she saw left her wordless.

Before her were wings as black as night, beautiful things that left black feathers floating in the air. But it wasn't until she registered the person before her that she became truly wordless, shocked beyond comprehension.

Ulquiorra stood between her and Yammy, his sword raised as he effortlessly blocked the blow. Her hands lowered slowly, her eyes wide. Her hair danced in the breeze that must have been created from the impact of Yammy's fist and Ulquiorra's sword. Ulquiorra slowly turned his head to look at her; his green eyes were lifeless, empty… lonely, with permanent black tears staining his face. He looked like a tragic angel.

"Ulquiorra…" she said part in awe, part in disbelief.

…

Ulquiorra stared down at the women, something in his chest clenching at the sight of her.

It was an unpleasant thing.

His rage from before had settled considerably since Orihime was now in no danger… though he wasn't quite positive why this mattered to him, it did. He would be a fool to deny it. That same feeling of what must have been fear slowly crept it's way in; he felt out of control of his actions, of himself. He couldn't understand it and that left him with a bad feeling. Why was he even doing this?

"Ulquiorra!" roared Yammy, "What do you think you're doing protecting this piece of trash?"

Ulquiorra leisurely turned to face Yammy, breaking his stare away from the women. He gave no explanation. He lifted his sword and slashed Yammy in an upward arc, easily cutting a gapping wound to his chest. Blood fell to the ground in pools as Yammy gripped his hand to his chest.

"Damn you, Ulquiorra," Yammy growled, "I'm gonna fuck you up so bad for this!"

Ulquiorra didn't respond, his sword flashed as it struck Yammy again, leaving a bloody x on his massive chest. Blood dripped from the wound in gushes, but Yammy seemed to not even notice the substantial amount of red surrounding him.

Yammy spat out a chunk blood, it falling into a pool of the crimson liquid with a splash. "What the hell do you think you're doing Ulquiorra?" he growled, beyond pissed as his muscles rippled and grew, his body morphing.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing!" Yammy roared, his body crumbling buildings as he grew to such a size as to make Ulquiorra look like nothing more then a black speck.

Smoke from the demolished buildings filled the air as Yammy's roar resonated. The battle seemed to pause, everyone staring up at the massive figure that was Yammy before hesitantly starting again.

Ulquiorra glanced back at the small form behind him, staring into those shocked eyes that had tears frozen in place.

There was something else though, behind the tear stains that were engraved on her pale, dirtied cheeks… behind even the fear in her eyes at the bloody battle that was happening around her. Her eyes still held a glimmering strand of hope. Hope… that odd human emotion that was the stupidest of them all. Hope… how could she be hopeful in such a situation? It confused Ulquiorra, this silly emotion…

It made him want to understand what made someone "hope".

And yet, though it may be a silly emotion, there was something about this women and her hope that steeled him into wanting to protect her, to keep that hope in her eyes.

She looked so… fragile, his mind provided. She looked like she and her hope could be broken by the tiniest thing. Except… except she looked at him with her silly hope like he was what stood in the way of everything that could hurt her. Him.

She needed him.

Ulquiorra felt something stir within him; he was going off a whim, this odd wanting to protect her. He knew that if he took this road there would be no return, no going back. This would be the beginning and the end. He'd have to stick with this new whim until his bloody demise.

Yes, something as foolish as this could lead to nothing else.

A bloody end… he couldn't find it in him to care about something like that.

Ulquiorra turned back to face Yammy, a smirk almost showing on his usually emotionless face as he answered Yammy's question.

"I have no idea."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Yup, sadly I still don't own Bleach

Here's the next chapter! Thank you everyone who reviewed, added it to favorites, or alerted this story! I'm still shocked that people even read this... Read and enjoy... and **Review**! They truly make my day!

I really want you guys to tell me if you approve or not of where this is going! Comments, good or bad, are very much loved.

* * *

Aizen watched the fighting before him with rapture. His eyes seemed to glow with his own sadistic delight at watching his pawns engaging in bloody combat, combat that they probably wouldn't survive.

Well, wouldn't survive if he got his way.

Aizen's gaze rested on the green glow that illuminated the black and white contrasts of his fourth espada. Ulquiorra was playing out his part just as Aizen had imagined… Yes, he knew his pawns well.

He watched Ulquiorra fighting Yammy with a sense of self-satisfaction at having predicted this little problem. And at having the perfect plan to cease it.

It was time to send out his attack dog, the ever so dark knight that he had captured for his little game long ago.

"Ichigo," Aizen started slowly, drawing out his words in a way that he knew would irk said person, "I think it might be time for you to join the fray, don't you agree?"

Ichigo- his face having flashed to a cold passive so as to not show his annoyance- smiled slowly, viciously, as he took in Aizen's words.

A barely disguised frenzy flashed in Ichigo's eyes at the prospect of joining the battle. He was a bloodhound deprived of blood, held back as he waited for his master to let go of his leash so he could feast upon his prey. He was dangerous, lethal.

Aizen smiled smugly. Yes, he had been right to hold back his newest pawn, his finest captured piece.

"Can you take care of Ulquiorra for me?" he asked, barely able to keep the smugness from his voice.

But he knew it didn't matter, Ichigo already had the scent of blood. He was far-gone from this conversation. Aizen let go of the leash on his greatest weapon that he had molded to perfection. Yes, he had beaten, twisted, and morphed his toy until the once naïve boy he had first encountered had become something inhuman, a weapon for him to use.

Ichigo nodded his head in Aizen's direction, his eyes locked on his target. He was gone, released to attack, without any words on his part.

Aizen chuckled to himself softly. Things were going to get interesting now that he could finally use the toy he had worked on for so long. Would it consume everything in its path, leaving only a blazing hell, or break itself from the inside out, its very sanity snapping and leaving his toy to fall apart at the seams that he had sown together to his liking?

Well, either way he wouldn't be bored anymore.

…

Gin watched Ichigo set out to attack his prey, his own eyes opened to deadly slits. Ichigo was a lethal pawn, one that Aizen had made to his liking. At this rate, Aizen would win the little game.

He glanced to his left at his former captain, who was watching the fighting from above. Always above.

That bastard. So sure of himself, so unconcerned. The snake inside of Gin withered and hissed in impatience; he wanted to beat that smug smile off of Aizen's face. Oh so badly did he want to attack, to rip off that head of his.

Yes, Gin wanted to see the "God" fall; wanted to see Aizen's face twist in despair… and he wanted it to be by his hand. But not yet. He had waited all this time, played the obedient pawn for so long. He couldn't snap now, act rashly. He was going to take down his prey, he would die trying, but it had to be the right moment.

A murderous smirk made its way onto Gin's face, his expression dark. It was almost time for him to make his move as well. Soon he could lunge at his target, baring his fangs and filling the "God" with his poison. So soon he'll be able to hunt after years of only stalking and playing around with his prey.

Yes, so soon… because he couldn't let Aizen just win this little game so easily, could he? No.

Where would the fun be in that?


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimor: Yep, still don't own.

I'm sorry for the missed week! I've been so busy xD

Anyway, here's a new chapter sooooo **READ** and **REVIEW**!

~Even one word reviews are loved for they give me an general idea if you like where I'm going with the story!

Oh yea, and enjoy!

* * *

Ulquiorra could feel himself wearing down.

Blood dripped from various wounds on his body, his arms felt heavy with the task of countering each of Yammy's massive blows, and his overall focus was sharp but the edges around his vision were starting to blur as his head was ringing with exertion.

He knew he couldn't last much longer… but yet he had to. The girl… Orihime was behind him. And if he budged, gave up, then he had this feeling that he'd lose something. Something he didn't want to give up… but yet he had no idea what it was.

He felt something stirring within him… something that might possibly be important…

Something that could help him change.

He knew if the beating that each blocked blow inflicted on his body- not to mention the ones he couldn't defend against- kept up, he would be finished. He had to do something.

His second form flashed through his mind, but he shoved that idea aside. He couldn't release that form. If he did, his only secret would be known… and he knew that if he wanted to protect Orihime, Yammy would only be one of many that he would have to cut down.

"This is getting damn annoying." Came an agitated voice.

Ulquiorra and Yammy paused, stepping away from each other quickly while looking towards where the sound had come from. Ulquiorra gripped his sword tightly in his hand, his senses focused on the new possible threat.

A Shinigami, with hair that stuck up wildly and seemed to have small bells at the ends, was standing with his sword- which had a jagged edge- resting casually against his shoulder. From the one eye that was visible and the savage grin, Ulquiorra concluded that this man was dangerous. And slightly crazy… if not completely insane.

The savage one stood next to another Shinigami, this one almost his polar opposite. The other Shinigami had a delicate face that held no emotion. He had this air about him that gave a sense of nobility, as of someone accustomed to not needing much… the words haughty or arrogant came to Ulquiorra's mind but they had little to no importance to him.

Both Shinigami stood close to the fallen raven-haired Shinigami from before and Orihime- who had moved to her fallen friend while Ulquiorra had been fighting- was talking quickly to them, addressing the larger of the two as Kenpachi and the other as Byakuya.

The one named Kenpachi seemed to be ignoring her mostly, his eyes fixed on the large form of Yammy. The other, Byakuya, was looking down at the fallen Shinigami with a passive stare, his face hiding his true feelings at seeing the mangled form.

"This… thing," Byakuya started slowly his gaze sliding coldly to Yammy, "Is what hurt Rukia?"

Orihime nodded in the affirmative.

Byakuya looked from the raven-haired girl, to Orihime, and finally it settled on Ulquiorra.

"We'll take care of this." Byakuya said simply in an emotionless voice, not giving any room for arguments.

Ulquiorra met Byakuya's gaze, both of them holding the eye contact with an expressionless visage. Ulquiorra's mind was debating whether it would be okay to let these Shinigami handle Yammy, then his mind went to Orihime… And he knew deep down that to keep her safe, it would be best for him to not fight unnecessary battles.

Ulquiorra inclined his head to the Shinigami, giving his consent that he would stand aside.

Byakuya started forward his sword already drawn, "Kenpachi, I can handle this myself."

Kenpachi grinned manically at these words, not listening to them in the least as he stepped forward as well, "Don't get in my way."

And with that, the beauty and the beast started their clash with the massive monster.

…

Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure seemed to freeze everyone in place. The two Shinigami- who had immobilized Yammy by this point- Orihime- who was clutching Rukia- and Ulquiorra- who was standing off to the side, watching Orihime protectively- all turned to slowly look at the new threat.

And all of them could only mildly hide their apprehension- even the big, malicious shinigami- at the sight they saw.

It was Kurosaki Ichigo, they all knew, but not the same one any of them knew. No… this Ichigo was much different.

He seemed to emanate pure malice, something dark and bloodthirsty… but yet this deadly aura seemed controlled like a sharp, lethal, blade of a sword. A blade that screamed wildly for blood, but yet yielded to the careful control of it's master.

It made for a terrifying sight.

His face was expressionless, but his eyes held death. Vicious, horrible, death. There was nothing soft in them; they seemed to cut you without even trying. The light was to his back, lighting his frame in a way that made him seem all the more an angel- or monster in some of the surrounding parties eyes- of death.

…

Rukia stirred, knowing that Ichigo was close. She wasn't sure how, but she could just feel his presence…. Even though the presence she felt filled her with sadness and dread instead of the usual comfort.

Her body screamed against her, but she forcibly opened her eyes. And what she saw chilled her to the bone, making everything else seem to fade into the background.

Her eyes locked on Ichigo's form, held in rapture by the horror of it all. She felt warm tears slid down her face, not able to control them as she was overcome by an unfathomable sadness.

It was true… There were no traces of her Ichigo.

She tried to force her body to respond; he was right there. She would end this… this false version of her Ichigo who seemed to mock his memory as well as her in his very existence.

This had to end.

The tears kept falling as she futilely tried to move. She snapped back to reality as she felt someone's arms wrap around her, holding her still.

"Rukia," the voice, that she recognized as Orihime's, choked out, "Please… don't move."

Rukia was about to tell her to let go, to help her up if anything, when she noticed the tears falling from Orihime's eyes to the ground. They left dark dots on the light ground. Something about those dark dots, next to the scarlet blood that she had failed to notice made her stop struggling to move. She went limp.

"But," Rukia said weakly, tears consuming her vision, as she was overwhelmed with pain, "It needs to end…"

…

Ulquiorra glanced at the Shinigami. They all could sense that whoever stayed would most likely die.

"Take those two." Ulquiorra said bluntly, pointing to the raven-haired Shinigami and Orihime.

The one called Byakuya looked to where Ulqiorra was pointing and nodded slowly. Kenpachi looked less compliant about it, but he didn't voice whatever thoughts he had out loud.

Ulquiorra knew it was over for him. Staying was the only thing left for him; a walking corpse from the minute he strayed from what he was meant to be. He'd wanted to try to change, had become curious despite himself, and somewhere along the way silly human emotions had changed in his view from something to be thought down upon into something remotely interesting.

And the odd thing was, he felt almost… content- as the humans put it- with it all. He didn't mind that he had started to change, leaving behind everything that made him an Espada. But now it was only fitting for him to die, to protect this foolish woman who had caused something within him to shift just slightly.

As he'd know from the first step down this path, it wasn't going to be a nice peaceful death.

* * *

After note: The only reason Kenpachi left was because he was going to go fight Nnoitra! And just to mention it, there are other fights going on I don't mention. If I don't mention it, or kill off one of the the people meant to fight in a certain battle, think that the fight happened just like the Anime... or at least the ending results to the fight (if Ichigo doesn't/didn't get there first).


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I still don't own.

Sorry for being such a lazy and busy person! I'm really bad at getting around to things even when it's nothing more then uploading a new chapter that is already written xD

I want to thank everyone who's been reviewing and adding to favorites/alerting! it means sooooo much to me! (and it helps me get the drive to actually post up a new chapter!)

So with that all said, **read and enjoy**!... and **review**! Reviews make my day and help me know if you guys are liking it or not! (and they help me actually post up new chapters!)

* * *

"But," Byakuya heard Rukia tell Orihime, "It needs to end…"

"It will end, just not by your hand. Let others take care of it. You did your part." Byakuya whispered softly yet with a sharp edge.

Both girls started at hearing his voice.

Without another word, he took Rukia from Orihime's grasp. Rukia didn't even protest as she was overwhelmed from the pain from her wounds despite Byakuya's effort to not hurt her injuries too much.

Orihime opened her mouth like she wanted to say something then her gaze fell to the ground, defeated easily.

Byakuya turned with Rukia in his arms, "Are you coming?" he questioned Orihime, slightly irked that she didn't realize it was time to leave and simply follow him respectfully.

Orihime looked up, a certain resolve present there that took Byakuya off guard.

"I'm staying."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed in slight confusion taken aback by her words. "And," he started slowly, "Why are you staying?"

Orihime looked at something over his shoulder, "I'm staying until the end."

Byakuya followed her gaze and saw only the espada where her eyes lingered. His confusion turned to frustration, "I'll say this one last time, we're leaving now."

Orihime looked him in the eyes and shook her head sadly, "No… I'm not. But please take Rukia… take her away from here and heal her wounds… And tell her that…" her voice faded before gaining it's resolve back, "Tell her that she need not worry. I'll be her eyes and if I'm needed to end this… then I'll give it my all."

Byakuya sighed inwardly, turning away without another word. _"Stupid women… " _He thought bitterly, _"Too headstrong for their own good."_

…

Ichigo saw Byakuya and Kenpachi leave, Byakuya carrying Rukia.

He didn't care, he let them go.

His prey was right before him.

Ulquiorra….

His thoughts were consumed with rage. Just looking at him made Ichigo's blood boil. But he could tell that the one he needed to finish off first wasn't Ulquiorra… but Orihime. That stupid women who stayed behind and was looking at Ulquiorra like he was some… some god or such.

He would end it.

He would end it all.

That look… that trust… that stupid, shallow trust that that idiotic women put in the one that had led to his demise…

His eyes locked on her, his steps towards her slow and deliberate. He didn't truly care who he finished off first… but he still hoped that it would be Ulquiorra. Yes… let Ulquiorra get in his way, and then he would be the first to die.

…

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Ulquiorra started slowly, "You will not take one more step towards this women."

That was it. That was the push that Ichigo needed. It was finally time for him to unsheathe his blade and run it through the heart of his descent. The true cause… the one that pushed him so far over the edge that he was unable to come back. To be human… to see Zangestu.

The one that took everything he had, even his emotions… he would show Ulquiorra what he had left Ichigo. He would show him that the only thing left in this empty shell he had become was wrath… and a lust for blood and carnage that he couldn't hold back…

Yes, it was time for him to go wild and destroy the one that had destroyed him.

Ichigo grinned, his bloodlust unable to be controlled anymore, "I'll take that as defiance and an invitation to rip you to pieces."

…

"How vulgar the true you is." Ulquiorra stated simply.

He knew he was at his limit, he new this… but yet he couldn't back away. He couldn't explain why. There was just this haunting feeling that if he backed down, everything would be lost.

He would never be able to conclude if someone like him could change.

"I'll show you something, Kurosaki Ichigo. Something no one else has ever seen nor knows about."

Ulquiorra didn't stand a chance.

He lifted his spear.

"I'm going to show you true despair."

"Resurrección: Segunda Etapa"

…

Orihime's eyes widened as she looked upon Ulquiorra. A tail flashed in the air behind him and his bare chest was stark white in contrast to the bleeding black that dripped down from his now clearly visible hollow hole.

It made Orihime scared despite herself.

She wrapped her arms around herself, not allowing herself to look away. She was trembling though, a deep fear overwhelming her.

She couldn't shake the fact that the two people she was looking at had once been… kind? If not kind, then different. So different…

She wanted this to end.

She just wanted this to end.

…

Ichigo shoved aside Ulquiorra's attack like it was nothing. Yes, Ulquiorra was strong but something dark had awakened that day when he had become a hollow… sometimes he didn't even understand what possessed him.

But at this moment, all he wanted to do was kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. He wanted- maybe needed- Ulquiorra to be ripped apart.

Ichigo smirked, a small maniacal laugh escaping him, "True despair?" he slashed out once at Ulquiorra a thin trail of black blood left in his swords wake. "This is nothing."

Ulquiorra appeared behind him suddenly, Ichigo whirled around seeing only the droplets of black blood in the air. He was too slow. Ichigo felt something wrap around his leg right before he was thrown through the air.

He crashed into building after building, rubble flying in the air. When finally his body stopped, sliding down the stone wall as it left a stain of red behind, Ichigo pushed his way out. He held his side, not used to having someone be faster then him. Harm him… when had the last time been that he'd gotten thrown around?

His eyes looked for Ulquiorra, fuming and crazed. The battle around him seemed pointless, blurred, as his eyes finally locked on Ulquiorra who was staring back at him, his black tail swishing in the air as if to mock Ichigo.

Ichigo's eyes turned cold, his expression melting into a mask of apathy, "I'll show you what true despair really is."

"La luna oscura."

…

Ulquiorra braced himself as black light seemed to engulf Ichigo. It didn't take any time for him to realize that Ichigo was releasing his sword.

As the smoke cleared, what Ulquiorra saw gave him pause.

Where Ichigo had been stood something that was more monster then human. The scary part about it though was that it's form resembled a humans, but when you looked at it all you thought was monster.

The… thing was pale- it's chest completely exposed. It had the same orange hair that Ichigo had- maybe a tad paler- but it was somewhat longer now. Two horns adorned it's head, as stark white as bones. It's once white Espada outfit was no more, it's attire a mocking black like a shinigami's- and only the bottom half at that. His pale hands were now claws, bony and long… and deadly. His hollow mask grew to surround his eye and loops of it twirled down the side of his face. The mask had a stark beauty to it. And black swirls seemed to twine up his neck from where his hollow hole was just below his throat, with some swirls looping down to the top of his chest and branching out to the sides.

That's what truly caught Ulquiorra's attention. Though Ichigo never tried to cover up his hole- he usually wore his tops in a fashion that exposed the top of his chest- he usually had this way of diverting your attention away from it. But now… now there was nothing to hide his empty hole this time, to draw away from the fact of it all. Ichigo- Ulquiorra noted with surprise not from his lack of sense but from the fact that the notion, the complete concept, usual slipped his mind- was a hollow.

Ichigo- that thing- raised it's head, yellow eyes flashing dangerously with only blackness behind them. Endless blackness.

In that moment Ulquiorra understood what he had done. That thing was not human. That thing was not a hollow. No matter how much it looked like both of those things there was no denying it. That thing was a monster.

Ulquiorra tried to raise his hand, to strike, but the overwhelming effect of those yellow eyes held him in place. He couldn't move, his body wouldn't listen.

Something dark crawled around in his chest. It was cold.

Was this what those foolish humans called "fear"?

* * *

P.S.

I'll update either by next week or whenever I happen to get... **10 reviews** =P


	19. Chapter 19

I think I'm losing my mind! You all have **darklover56** to thank for reminding me to post a new chapter, I had completely forgot that I hadn't done it yet!

Soooooo don't hate me for the end of this one, okay?... yea.

Well read, enjoy, and **REVIEW**! Reviews keep my brain on track!

* * *

It was all going so well. Everything was falling right into place.

Aizen watched the surrounding battles with a small smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with triumph.

It was all working out perfectly.

Just as planned, the Vizards had come to "help" as well; or more so they had come to rip him to pieces. Though they hated soul reapers, they had joined in to fight by their side. The insignificant insects were scattered among the fights… but it didn't really make any difference.

Blood seemed to coat the ground as the aroma it made seemed to hang over the battle field like a blanket. To him, it was a sweet smell. A sweet, sweet smell. To him, that smell signaled movement. Things were moving, bleeding. And when the wheels were moving, that meant he could relieve some of his boredom. It was amusing, seeing all the worthless pawns fighting each other. They couldn't see how futile it all was. But it made for great entertainment.

Aizen closed his eyes, feeling the familiar hum from the Hogyoku. It was almost time before he ended it all; before he ruled over a new world, one that he would build from scratch.

"Aizen-taichou!" cried out a too familiar voice, making Aizen twitch in irritation before reverting back to his usual relaxed expression.

Aizen slowly opened his eyes, not in the mood to deal with pawns that had outgrown their usefulness. But nonetheless, he smiled at the girl before him.

"Momo." He said simply, the girl looking up at him with clouded eyes, eyes that had been deluded into seeing the façade that he had chosen.

She smiled stupidly, her hands clenched before her, "Aizen-taichou…"

She took a step towards him, tears falling down her face.

Aizen watched her, his eyes holding pity at the useless thing before him. It was time to silence this wretched girl before she irked him anymore with her superficial, blind devotion.

He appeared before her, drawing out his sword. She didn't even react, she just reached out to him.

"I've missed you so much," she sniffled, tears still streaming down her face as she started to tremble slightly. But something held her back, she didn't grab his coat like he expected. He looked at her and smiled as he realized why she hadn't just blindly run to him.

She wasn't shaking or crying because of him, she was trying to keep herself back. She was trying to resist. Her tears were in frustration at herself for not being able to control her actions. His hypnosis wouldn't allow it.

What a silly girl.

Aizen smirked, "It must be hard. I'll put you out of your misery, I'll let you go to a place where you can forget all about me."

Aizen didn't pause as he stabbed his sword right through her heart. Her eyes widened, the fog that seemed to cover them lifting in the end. She didn't cry out, she didn't have time. She tried to turn her head to look behind her, but before she was able to her body went slack as her eyes closed forever.

"Goodnight." Aizen whispered as he pulled out his sword, blood flying everywhere as her body fell to the ground.

Aizen smiled, looking directly into the ice blue eyes of the young captain that he had known had been on his way.

Hitsugaya seemed to be frozen with disbelief, his eyes as wide as Momo's had been after she had gotten stabbed.

Hitsugaya's shock melted into anger, his body shaking as he shouted out Aizen's name in fury. His bankai appeared around him, the ice wings and tail seeming to glow in the light. The air got icy cold, the crisp air seeming to nip at your skin and stab your lungs with every breath.

Hitsugaya charged with his sword held high, his face a mask of rage.

His anger only seemed to make Aizen more amused though as he easily toyed around with the young charging captain. It was mere child's play to dodge the blind swings from the angered captain.

It only lasted a few moments before Aizen got bored and appeared behind Hitsugaya, his sword resting lazily at his side.

It took a moment before Hitsugaya realized what had happened. It took a moment before the blood gushed out of the wound that stretched from the young captains right shoulder to his left hip, cutting him almost completely in two.

Hitsugaya's eyes widened as he coughed up a spray of blood. His ice wings and tail shattered into pieces, falling to the ground like a rain of tears. Then his body seemed to collapse on itself, his eyes becoming unfocused. His sword was the first thing to fall, his body not far after. It hit the ground with a thud; he didn't get up again.

By his side in an instant was his vice captain. Matsumoto stared down at her captain's blood, shaking. She didn't cry though. She didn't even fall to her knees. She just clenched her fists at her side, her hair shielding her eyes.

Then, suddenly, the shaking stopped. She straightened her back and lifted up her head, holding it high in defiance. Her blue eyes landed on Aizen. They were cold, full of anger and rage, but they were determined. Not scared or broken, resolved. She wasn't going to just stand by anymore.

She drew her sword, not faltering or letting her fury blind her as she charged at Aizen.

Aizen waited, amused at her surprising strength.

Her captain would have been proud.

He couldn't help but smirk slightly, his eyes looking back behind him slightly at Gin, as he waited for Matsumoto to reach him. His blade glinted dangerously at his side.

It was always amusing seeing the dead pointlessly struggle.

…

It wasn't time yet.

It was too soon.

But yet still Gin couldn't help himself from acting. He didn't even pause before he blocked Aizen's blade before it could continue it's deadly ark and harm Matsumoto. He didn't even flinch away from the pain of the cruel, cold metal biting into his hand as he blocked the blade with his bare hand. He didn't even care that his hand was dripping scarlet blood to the ground, a constant flow that branched down his arm as well.

Gin wrapped his fingers around the blade farther, the blade biting in deeper and deeper. He tightened his grip, coiling around it like a snake would its prey.

Yes, it wasn't yet time. It was too soon.

But he couldn't let Matsumoto cry anymore.

Gin's expression became lethal, his sky blue eyes opening to lock on his prey, Aizen. He was the hunter spotting its prey, ready to go in for the kill.

There was no grin on his face as he gazed at the man he was going to kill. His mouth was set in a grim line on his intently focused face.

But all of that happened in a few second. And before you could blink, that mocking grin was back in place.

"Well," Gin smirked, "I guess it's time to finish this little game, hmmm?"

Aizen gazed down at Gin, his expression bored. Something within Gin seemed to hiss out in fury at being looked down upon, but he managed to keep his smiling visage.

"I've always known your intention." Aizen replied simply.

Gin chuckled menacingly, "That might be so, but I know your only weakness. You see, I'm not letting go of this blade."

"Sad. That's what you are. Deluded. What you fail to see is that as soon as you went against me you were already finished. You were already dead." Aizen chided, his eyes full of condescension.

Gin's expression remained unchanged, even as his anger spiked, but his voice was dark, "We'll see about that. Extend -"

…

Aizen's eyes widened as Gin's blade flashed, cutting through him before he could even see the blade materialize. It was back at it's master side, bits of blood flying with it, before Aizen coughed up blood and reached a hand to the wound in his chest which was leaking the red liquid.

Aizen narrowed his eyes, taking in the smiling Gin before him.

He chuckled darkly, blood gurgling slightly in his throat.

'_Perhaps'_ he thought to himself, _'It was time that he got serious.'_

Oh, if this foolish boy thought that the game was won already he was highly deluded.

It was just beginning.

Or, in Gin's case, ending. Permanently.

…

Ulquiorra coughed up blood, knowing that his time was ticking away. He held his hand over his mouth, the red liquid feeling warm as it slid from his hand down his arm. It coated his arm as it slowly slithered its way down; his blackened arm seeming to absorb the vibrant red.

This feeling of what might have been fear seemed to constrict his chest, making it hard to do much. But, he knew, if he wanted to accomplish anything he couldn't let this silly, human emotion consume him.

He stared at Ichigo long and hard, seeing the wall of power that surrounded him. It filled him with dread. But as he looked, the wall started to ripple. It seemed to flicker and the longer Ulquiorra looked the more he could see past the wall.

As Ichigo started his slow, deadly, advance towards him Ulquiorra felt- for some odd reason- a connection that tied him and Kurosaki Ichigo together.

He couldn't explain why, but in that moment almost everything about Ichigo became clear to him. He saw past the wall, he understood what had lead to the birth of this monster before him. He saw the cruel strength… the pain… the loss.

And he felt something almost like sadness- was it pity?- for the tortured soul inside the monster. A bitter smile almost got past his expressionless visage, a sad chuckle as well. It all matched together… it was tragically fitting.

"You've earned your spot as an Espada, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ulquiorra murmured quietly, but loud enough that Ichigo heard and paused his advance.

Ichigo's expression became dark, his eyes reflecting that eerie yellow glow, the stark white bone that surrounded his one eye and dipped down the side of his face in intricate swirls highlighting those soulless eyes.

"You remember, right?" Ulquiorra whispered his eyes not flinching from the hollowness in Ichigo's, "Every Espada personifies an aspect of death. We can't help it. It's in our nature."

"_And,"_ Ulquiorra thought bitterly, _"When you try and fight your aspect is when you end up dying."_

Ichigo stayed silent, so Ulquiorra continued, "Bereavement. Or more simply, the loss of love…"

Ulquiorra just had enough time to react as Ichigo charged at him, blocking Ichigo's blade with a hastily made spear.

"Or maybe," Ulquiorra whispered, sparks flying from where his spear and Ichigo's sword battled for dominance, "It isn't so much the loss of anything that makes you who you truly are… but the emptiness and rage that comes with those feelings you refuse to admit?"

Ichigo's eyes looked angry, but there was also a deep pain hidden within it all. The rage masking the true grief; that was what made Kurosaki Ichigo who he was as an Espada. What made him truly dangerous.

He had buried his own emotions, leaving only the ones that could keep him moving forward like a puppet on carefully placed strings. He had shut parts of himself down to endure what he had become, discarding what caused him grief.

Ulquiorra smirked slightly, knowing that the faint emotion would fuel Ichigo's fury even more, "Even as an Espada, you're still naïve… boy."

Ulquiorra was stroking the fire. He knew, but he just couldn't help himself. He already felt so out of control of himself; already knew his life duration was counting time in minutes- if not seconds.

They both broke apart, Ulquiorra pulling his arm back to ready his spear to throw. This would probably be his last move. Ichigo's form seemed to be blurred by the compressed waves of dark hatred that rolled off him. He was past his breaking point already, his resentment towards Ulquiorra now a palpable thing.

"And whose fault is it all?" Ichigo whispered, his voice cold, deadly.

Ulquiorra's expression remained stoic, "Kurosaki Ichigo you blame me for all your troubles, but let me tell you something. It is not- and will not be- what I have done to you that'll be your demise…. No. It will be your own foolishness at throwing everything away that made you sane."

"It'll be your absence of humanity that'll destroy you in the end. And that is something that you accomplished all on your own."

…

_"Dammit."_ Gin thought bitterly as he fell to the ground.

Blood surrounded him, flowing from the gaping wound in his chest. Everything hurt. His wound felt like it was burning him alive…. a few of his ribs- hell every single one- seemed to be snapped and stabbing him in the lungs (and it felt like there was some lovely fluid leaking from the hole in his chest into his lungs as well…. Or at least he wasn't able to breathe in any way, shape, or form.)… and the bloody stump where his left arm had been- and a good portion of his left side- seemed to either be completely numb or throbbing with pain…

Gin tried to breathe, but ended up just coughing up blood. It leaked down his chin to the ground in an almost pathetic way, he concluded. Disgraced, as he felt a sense of disgust at the mangled mess his body now was subjected to. It was downright humiliating how torn up he was.

And it had all been Aizen's doing.

He had failed…

He had lost.

Gin's vision was hazy, blurred, and flashing to a deep ominous darkness at times. He couldn't see much and he knew that soon that black abyss would come for him; consume him completely until he couldn't see anymore.

The snake would be swallowed whole by nothingness…

Did you even need to see beyond the grave?

Or in hell?

He could have smiled if he had been able to anymore.

Gin couldn't help but think that not being able seeing in hell would be such an annoyance. If you couldn't see, you could burn for eternity without having to see the flames constantly. Maybe then you could just hum to yourself and forget about the fiery hell that was all around you.

But there was one more thing he had to do before he forever paid for all the sins he'd committed.

Even if the world was falling away, Gin still needed to try and find her… Matsumoto.

He wanted, if he could have nothing else in his last few moments, to see her. If he had to leave, he wanted the last thing he saw to be her face.

Maybe this time he'd be able to say goodbye.

He tried to move his head from where it rested against the hard ground, but it was no use. All he could see was the boy Kurosaki Ichigo or, well, at the moment- if it wasn't just Gin's fading vision- he looked more like a monster then a boy…

Gin watched the boy… monster, fight Ulquiorra. He could say a lot about this Ichigo, but what stuck with him the most was the look in his bright yellow eyes.

Gin felt himself relax, his head slumping, as his whole body seemed to melt into the ground.

Those eyes… they were dead eyes. Twisted and dark… Strong eyes.

Gin wanted to laugh, wanted to smirk…

Yes, he might have lost… but that was only the fight.

The war on the other hand was a whole other matter.

_'Those eyes…'_ Gin thought as his own ice blue ones closed, _'those eyes are the ones that are going to destroy Aizen.'_

Right before his eyes closed, he saw a flash of orange. He felt arms wrap around him and heard his name being called again and again from what seemed like far away.

_'Matsumoto' _Gin thought sadly, _' She's right here, but I can't say a word… much less open my eyes again to see her.'_

If only he could see her one last time… but maybe he didn't deserve to have that last bit of happiness.

It took Gin a moment before he felt the warm drops of water falling onto his face and dripping down to add to the ground below him that was stained with his blood.

She was crying…

_'Dammit' _he thought again.

Even in the end, he hadn't been able to stop her tears… the one thing that he had truly tried to do… failed.

He wished he could open his eyes, touch her face, and tell her that it'd be alright. But that was a privilege someone like him couldn't have. He wasn't meant to have a happy ending.

He couldn't stop her tears…

He couldn't even say goodbye.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own...

Soooo I was thinking and thinking and I came to the conclusion that I needed to show a backstory about how Ichigo went from awakening and killing off two Espada to being cold and collected like at the beginning of the story. So, here you go! Yay! I know all of you are soooo thankful that I paused the main story =P

So enjoy and please, please, tell me what you think!

Read, **Review,** and ENJOY!

…

_He wasn't dead yet._

_That was the only thought that could make it past the pain._

_He was dying, but he wasn't dead yet._

_He saw Aizen appear. He saw Aizen say something to Ulquiorra who nodded and said something- he couldn't hear what since everything seemed jumbled together- to Yammy. He saw Yammy walk over to him and lift him up like he weighed nothing… then everything went black because of the pain… oh the pain… Yammy was not gentle._

_But then, despite the blackness that was consuming him, he heard the words quite clearly that Aizen whispered into his ear._

"_I wonder if it'll be painful when your hollow completely takes over?"_

_And he heard the words unsaid as everything faded to nothingness._

"You're mine Kurosaki Ichigo. My new pawn."

…

_After he'd killed two of the previous Espada, none of the others would come around him for a bit. They were probably too afraid that they'd end up like the previous second and third Espada. He'd been beyond unstable those first few days. _

_So unstable it scared him._

_He just wasn't able to control it, he felt this need- this fire in his veins- to kill. He needed to release all this pent of aggression that seemed to build up within. It would brew within him until it exploded out of him in fits of violence._

_He felt bad for the underlings that were responsible for bringing him food and such when he snapped. It seemed like new people had to be found to see to him daily._

_Ichigo wasn't sure how long he mulled about in that room. It could have been days or it could have been years for how slow the time went by. Time didn't take any meaning until Aizen came in one day, smiling that fake smile of his that seemed so "kind". Ichigo greeted him with a sword at his neck._

_Aizen didn't flinch, but continued with that small- smug- smile._

"_Would you like to go… play a game?"_

_That caught Ichigo's attention; it halted him from cutting up Aizen and his irking smile for a few moments._

"_Game?"_

_Aizen's smile seemed to grow; Ichigo's blood seemed to boil even more._

"_Yes," Aizen replied slowly, taking his time, "A game. A hunting game."_

_Ichigo withdrew his blade, the prospect of blood making him grin like a mad fool. Hunting meant killing, killing meant blood… and it all sounded so, so good right now._

_He'd been locked up by himself in this room for days- months, years- nobody willing to chance walking in to one of his bloody rages as his moods seemed to be everywhere and anywhere. The fool underlings that brought him food and such weren't more then a snack to his bloodlust. If he stayed here any longer, he felt like he'd go insane._

"_What would I have to do?"_

"_Well," Aizen continued in a fashion that was going to result in him leaving a few limbs shorter, "All you'd have to do is go through the portal we tell you to. It'll take you to a nice little area full of things to cut up."_

_Ichigo just smiled, something within him withering and clawing eagerly at the idea another part scared at the new monster that couldn't be controlled._

…

_The "Hunting ground" turned out to just be a park in the human world. Ichigo thought he knew it, but his old memories were fuzzy at times and vivid at others. This was one of the times they were fuzzy._

_So many people… his grin was crazed as he cut through the unsuspecting prey without any hesitation or bias. Humans… but only the part of him that wasn't in control cared. The other side, the one that was leading him around without a thought besides killing, cut down men, women, and kids alike without batting an eye._

_Some cried, some went silently. Some could see him, some couldn't. Some had families waiting, some had families with them that day._

_None of it mattered._

_Not the mothers protecting their children, the children crying over their lost parents, the husbands that couldn't protect their wives, the friends trying to die for each other, the siblings jumping in front of a blow meant for their younger brother or sister._

_It was all over in a bloody whirlwind._

_When there was no one left standing, Ichigo looked around at the sea of blood and carnage. Part of him was beyond disgusted at the blind killing that had happened in almost a flash, the other part… the other part of him was proud._

_But then a hand grabbed his ankle. Ichigo's brow furrowed in confusion that there was someone still alive._

_He looked down, only to be met with eyes that seemed to cut right through him in their fury. _

_Tatsuki, the part of his mind that was still sane screamed, Tatsuki…_

"_Ich-…" she wheezed out between coughs, "How… could… you?"_

_The sane part of his mind started to crack, the other half laughed viciously. _

_He lifted his foot and shook her off, giving her a harsh kick in the stomach to finish it off. _

_Tatsuki's eyes widened in farther pain before narrowing and glaring at Ichigo with their last bits of strength, "Asano… Miharu… We… trusted… you…"_

_The sane part cried out soundlessly, uselessly. No. No. No…._

_The other half chuckled as Ichigo twirled his blade and hit one of Tatsuki's many wounds with the hilt._

_Tatsuki's teeth clenched as her eyes widened again, then slowly started closing. She stared up at Ichigo, her eyes nothing more then weak slits._

"_Monster." She whispered with her last breath, her dying words._

_The sane part shattered, these words more then Ichigo's last inner bit of self could handle. Ichigo felt a chill run through him, his eyes became cold and detached; his face melted from crazed to stoic._

_His boiling blood froze to ice as he lifted his blade and stabbed in right through Tatsuki's neck. He didn't use the hilt this time._

_When he felt a group of Shinigami rushing his way, he didn't feel anything. No joy, no sadness, just… nothing._

_Ichigo turned his head slightly, his mind numb and with a sense of detachment, supplying the names of the group before him as Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Renji, and Rukia._

_Hitsugaya with his stern little captain's face on, stunned and shocked with his mouth opened as his composure was forgotten. Matsumoto who covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. Ikkaku and Yumichika who just stared at him with sad eyes. Renji who glared at him, his fist clenched in anger. Rukia who didn't look at him but at the bloody corpses around her; she probably couldn't find it in her to meet his gaze._

_He stared at them, apathetic. He didn't feel the need or urge to fight them. He didn't feel any emotions from their various reactions. He turned his back to them, lifting his hand like he'd been shown and opening a portal back to Hueco Mundo._

_He appeared in the throne room before Aizen. Aizen who sat on his throne above him, Aizen who just smiled down at him with an amused expression like it was all just so funny and entertaining, Aizen who had robbed him of his emotions besides this bitterness and nothingness and this cold, cold, cold ice that was welling up in him._

"_Did you have fun?" came his sardonic question._

_Ichigo responded with silence, his expression apathetic even as he felt a wave of resentment for Aizen. Without his boiling blood, he could think straight. Ichigo saw the big picture; he was finally able to comprehend that this was all a game to Aizen. A game that he'd been made a pawn of._

_He'd play the game, he decided. He wouldn't give Aizen anymore pleasure from his suffering. He'd show him what the consequences were of trying to play him for a fool. _

_Ichigo nodded curtly, "Yes, Aizen… Yes Aizen-sama."_

_Ichigo turned and walked away, the part of him that cared gone. There was no hope for him. There was no turning back._

_After all, he was a monster. A horrible, terrible monster._

_One that didn't even- couldn't- feel anything wrong with that harsh fact and at what he'd done and would do again._

_That was probably the day that Ichigo started blaming Aizen and Ulquiorra for what they'd done to him. The day that he became painfully lucid, yet oddly empty and self deluded. _

_That was the first day the urge to kill within him turned from something hot and wild to something cold and thoughtful, directed._

_And oh was it directed at Aizen and Ulquiorra._

_But sadly, little did he realize, he was still playing right in the palm of Aizen's hand._


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own.

* * *

Ichigo hated this man.

He wanted to rip him up and leave nothing left.

Ichigo wanted to hurt him as he'd been hurt. His grip on his sword tightened, though truly there was no need. Him and his sword were one, even now.

He was done with playing, and his sword seemed to quiver with excitement knowing this… at the idea of finally getting to finish this and feel the life blood of its opponent sully its surface. It really was such a savage thing now… only meant for killing… but maybe that was an appropriate change for his existence now.

The idea of his sword killing for the joy of killing caused him no grief at the moment, only a grim satisfaction.

His sword would be an extension of his bloodlust, his need to get rid of the existence that caused him so much pain… that reminded him of all that he had lost and then had the nerve to lecture him.

Ichigo aimed his sword, done with playing. He aimed it right at the spot it would hurt Ulquiorra the most. He aimed it at Orihime.

…

Ulquiorra didn't have time to think. Ichigo was too fast. His body just moved on its own, responded before his mind could grasp exactly what he was doing. He didn't realize what had happened until he looked down and saw the black sword covered with his own blood imbedded in his core.

He was done for.

This was the end.

He felt a crushing despair weigh down on him, his chest feeling heavy while his mind went into chaos at the idea that he wouldn't even be able to accomplish the one thing that he had wanted. He wouldn't be able to protect the women that had stayed where she was because she had believed he would keep her safe.

Ulquiorra almost desperately looked behind him, needing to see her. To see those eyes that didn't hold fear when they looked at him, those eyes that held that silly hope when they looked at him… like he wasn't something horrible. A monster who didn't believe in a heart.

He reached out his hand towards her. She looked stunned, tears streamed down her face just for him. She reached out her own hand to touch his.

And it was in this final thing that he could finally see it.

In that small hand that reached out for him- trembling slightly- and his own pale hand that reached out steadily for hers- needing to touch her- is where he finally found his answer.

Before he had asked her where the heart that humans talked about was found. If he couldn't see it, then how could it exist?

But yet there it was.

Not quite a tangible thing, but he could see it.

He could see the heart there, in the bond between their outstretched hands.

"Women," he murmured quietly, his eyes sad, but his tone slightly amused, "I think I can see the heart you talked about."

She shook her head, tears flowing still, "It's not "women", my name is Orihime."

"Orihime…" he looked at her… at Orihime one last time, a small smile breaking through his usual emotionless mask, "It was nice meeting you. I regret not being able to stay longer."

She lunged forward, attempting to breach the distance between their outstretched hands, "No! Don't leave, you can't!"

His smile turned rueful. Of course as soon as he had finally found where the heart was- his heart- it destroyed him.

Orihime's lunge was in vain. She was too late; her hand reached only nothingness as he slowly started to fade. She cried out in despair as she could only watch him disappear.

'_The heart humans mention always leads to their despair'_ Ulquiorra thought sadly.

"Do you…" he started quietly right before he was completely gone, "Think that… I…"

But he didn't get to finish, his words were too late. His body faded to complete nothingness, his eyes never leaving Orihime's crying face until he was gone.

But his words that were unsaid seemed to linger.

… _was able to change?_

…

Ichigo's sword fell lazily to his side… the heart… is that what had been torn away from him that fateful day?

If so, then it had been Ulquiorra that had torn his heart away. Ichigo's eyes flashed between the past and present. His loss and now the compensation that had been brewing since that hated day.

Ichigo watched Ulquiorra fading away, a grim satisfaction humming through his very being. It was just so right… payment, a proper revenge. That person had ruined his life, had taken his heart from him… his very humanity.

Now, he had ended everything for Ulquiorra.

Everything… except his lingering heart.

Ichigo didn't hesitate as he wordlessly walked towards Orihime, his smile and bloodlust completely gone. It was replaced with something more deep, more cold and cruel… it was replaced with an empty nothingness.

He couldn't comprehend what had gone on anymore. At one time, that might have made him sad…but now… now he felt like he didn't care. A heart… he didn't have the privilege of having something like that anymore. And if he didn't, why should Ulquiorra?

He would make sure to completely destroy that stupid lingering heart of Ulquiorra's.

…

"I'm going."

Urahara sighed melodramatically at the old Shinigami before him, " I don't think it's such a good idea."

Isshin looked straight ahead his eyes staring before him with a determined gleam that bordered on plain stubbornness, his expression and demeanor resolute in his choice, "I'm going where my son is."

Urahara's eyes flashed with a sad, almost pitying, look at the shinigami before his face became dark. His hat covered his eyes as his voice went from being light to serious, "As your friend, let me make this clear. That thing is not your son anymore. You go there," Urahara put his hand on his hat, shoving it down farther to hide even more of his expression, "You'll die."

Isshin turned his gaze to Urahara, his eyes holding a deep melancholy.

"Still, as a father I really have no choice. If I must die… as my friend, will you come with me to Hueco Mundo? Will you see me off?"

Urahara couldn't say anything, knowing that part of this was his fault. He hadn't really given Ichigo much of a choice that time in the Shattered Shaft…

"_Dammit Ichigo…"_ Urahara thought sadly as he wordlessly opened his portal to Hueco Mundo and stepped through without looking back at Isshin, _"Why did you change? Why did you break? You came so close to overcoming it… then you failed."_

"_Why weren't you strong enough to hold on to your sanity? If not for yourself, for your loved ones you wanted to protect... who are now left marching to their death because of you…"_

…

Orihime didn't know what to feel as she watched Ulquiorra fade away, as she watched the monster with Ichigo's face come towards her.

She felt… numb. She'd lost everyone, there was no one left. Everyone she'd cared for had been taken from her.

She knew she should run, fight, but all the will went out of her as she was crushed by a wave of how utterly alone she was.

She felt almost like she was broken or maybe like she was finally seeing her true self for the first time… helpless…. She'd thought that she'd gotten stronger, but in the end she knew that there was no such thing as strength. She'd been flying on broken and withered wings all along.

As her executioner… the monster that haunted her thoughts… her savior… her angel of death… as her Ichigo stopped solemnly before her, she couldn't feel any remorse at leaving.

She looked up at that face that she knew so well, but yet at the moment was such a stranger to her.

Unnatural, bright yellow eyes surrounded by an endless blackness, aloof and uncaring as they stared down at her with a certain coldness in them… hollow and empty. The swirl of mask that surrounded his eye and lined the side of his face, white as bone… stark and bleak. The emotionless expression that held an icy assurance of her impending death… her very own reaper come to end it all.

These were the things that separated Orihime from the Ichigo she had known… and loved once upon a time.

Her eyes became sad; here was the last connection she'd had and an endless space- a wall too high to breach and too strong to break through- separated them even when they were this close. It made her heart ache with a bitterness to know that even if she reached her hand out to touch him, it wouldn't be able to make it through to him. He wouldn't be there… she couldn't reach him anymore where he'd gone.

Her mind flashed to when it had just been so simple. Her, Tatsuki, Chad, Uryruu, Asano, Mizuiro, eventually Rukia… and Ichigo.

She remembered the times they'd been able to smile.

As Ichigo laid his sword against her neck, she didn't feel scared. Blood trickled down her skin where the sword cut into it slightly, but she couldn't even feel the bite of the steel. She just looked at Ichigo in his now soulless eyes, seeing his face as it used to be.

Orihime smiled sadly, wistfully, as the sword swung down to detach her head and body. As long as she was able to see her Ichigo's smiling face one last time- even if it only was in her mind-she could die without feeling regret.

"Goodbye Ichigo," she whispered, "I'm sorry… you'll be all alone now huh?"

_I'm leaving now._

The sword slashed through her neck, cleanly cutting through the muscle and spine. It seemed to happen slowly, suspended for a time in the air as the blood seemed to burst out. Blood flew everywhere; her severed head seemed to be cushioned by crimson before it hit the ground with a thud, rolling to the side. Her body collapsed, falling in on itself without the support of the head.

_Thank you for everything you've done for me._

Her decapitated head sat in a puddle of fresh blood, the scarlet liquid soaking into her hair. Her eyes stared ahead lifelessly, unseeing. Her mouth was slightly opened, words unsaid lingering.

She died remembering not the monster- the villain her knight had become- but the hero whom she'd now reunited with in death.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own yet. Not yet. Not yet...

**Enjoy! Read and review!** I want to apologize as well for my, uh, laziness. It takes me a good dose of motivation to actually post a chapter up. I also want to thank all my lovely reviewers, you guys have no idea how much you make my day when you comment. I am very sorry I haven't been answering or replying back, it gets hard to keep track of everything.

* * *

Ichigo sliced cleanly through that thin neck, not able to take those eyes anymore.

It almost felt like he was getting stabbed… those eyes…

They weren't looking at him as he was now, but at the person- human- he'd been… the person he'd been before his world had gotten destroyed…

The person he couldn't be anymore.

He watched the blood rain down, trying to drown his thoughts in the crimson drops.

He didn't want to remember. His head ached… it made him feel like he was choking. She didn't scorn him, but smiled, _smiled_, and said…

_Goodbye…_

_And…_

Ichigo held his head in his hands, not finding comfort in the motionless body and decapitated head; the blood red rain he had caused. The pale skin… soaking blood… those _eyes_ that seemed to haunt him… he felt like his head was going to split open.

_She'd said-_

Ichigo heard a voice in his head- he knew it was familiar- but he couldn't focus on the words it spoke. Everything hurt.

_She'd said sorry…_

His whole being felt like it was ripping at the seams; Ichigo hunched over crying out his pain, with a sound akin to an anguished roar, as he felt like his whole body was burning… his skin melting… leaving everything raw and exposed.

_Sorry…_

_ You'll be alone, huh?_

Ichigo's eyes widened as he could feel his last bit of sanity- his grip on reality- break along with his body; his head bursting, cracking open... his very being shattering from the pain.

It hurt to be alone.

…

"You did well."

Aizen snapped Ichigo out of whatever little internal struggle he'd been having, Ichigo staring at him with wide, deranged eyes as if he were a wild animal.

Aizen smiled at the broken boy, knowing that Ichigo was ready for his true goal.

"Ichigo," Aizen started slowly, "If you want to stop the pain, all you have to do is kill everyone." Aizen's smile turned to a smirk, "Then nothing will hurt."

Ichigo looked at him, his eyes wild but his visage oddly emotionless otherwise, "Kill?"

Aizen thought back to the broken corpse that had been Gin with an almost rueful smile, "Yes… I tire of this game now."

He'd won… just like he'd known he would. Now it was over, his challenger dead.

It was almost sad, now he'd have to find a new toy to play war with.

…

_Kill._

The words ran through Ichigo's mind, but he couldn't wrap his mind around their meaning.

_Kill…_

His mind tried to understand, the tendrils of his thoughts wrapping and swirling around the word.

Ichigo felt broken; every breath seemed to crush him. His chest felt like it was full of shattered pieces… sharp shards of glass that stabbed him again and again. His vision held a stark quality to it; everything seemed so bleak… worthless. He felt drained of every emotion, even the vile ones that he'd personified in his very existence.

What could he do? Alone… he was so alone. And for some odd reason that cut through him so sharply… but what ripped him apart inside was the fact that even now he couldn't comprehend why that bothered him.

It was a train of thought, a deep rooted feeling, that had no beginning. It just was. No matter how much he dwelled on the _why, _on the meaning behind the pain of knowing he was alone, he couldn't figure out where the sediment behind it was. He couldn't feel… he couldn't understand… he was just painfully empty. Alone.

"_Kill…"_ the words rang in his head, endless but yet their meaning worthless.

"_Kill… everyone."_

Everything came to a stop; his jumbled thoughts halted. Everything was eerily quiet. There was no sound, he could see time happening around him, saw Aizen's mouth move, but it all seemed slow and muted.

Then he heard the voice again, clearer.

It filled him, swam into the cracks of his broken being.

"_You're not alone, Ichigo." _Whispered the voice that had been trying to reach him, the Hogyoku, _"Trust me. I can help you, give you power."_

"_I can make it all go away."_

Ichigo's eyes widened as he clutched his chest, his pale fingers clawing the flesh that was coated with blood that was not his own. A single tear slid down his face.

"Please," he murmured.

Ichigo didn't fight as he felt the Hogyoku's conscious envelope his own… merging… combining into one being.

He let the wave crash down around him, he let it carry him away. Ichigo let himself go, giving in.

And then the overwhelming pain began.

He cried out, clawing at his body as he felt his skin crawl, withering and twisting… his blood burned, boiling in his veins… pure liquid fire that destroyed everything in its path…

The world disappeared from his sight; all he saw was red… red…. Red.

Everything was on fire, burning, his body engulfed by the flames. He was dying… dying… he wished it would stop.

"_Trust me…" the voice hissed in his head, "You're, we're, being born anew!"_

His eyes cried blood, his ears exploded, his mouth released a scream that ripped apart his throat, his lungs left shredded to pieces.

Then everything just stopped. His body felt like it was going to collapse, but black tendrils seemed to caress him, hold him up. He was oddly conscious of another presence, almost like when his inner hollow had been tormenting his thoughts except this presence felt… innate. Completing.

He breathed, it breathed. He twitched his fingers, it twitched its fingers. Him and the thing, it finally dawned on him that it was the Hogyoku, were one.

He wasn't a broken husk, but a whole being with power beyond imagination. They were the two halves that made a whole. The broken mind with a powerful body, the potent mind with no body of its own. The hollow monster with a hole where its heart should be and an apparition that was nowhere yet everywhere as pure emotion. Together they completed each other; gave what the other needed.

His vision cleared and with it Ichigo saw that nothing had changed. The hellish pain had been all inside him. His body was intact, his eyes blood free, and there was no fire.

His hand moved from where it clutched his head, feeling detached yet strangely _there… _alive. He stared down at it, there was this glow… a certain hum of power. He felt it, swimming through his veins, itching to get out.

Ichigo looked around him, chuckling darkly as he saw the look in Aizen's wide eyes. Anger, hurt… fear. It rolled off him, but yet Ichigo could feel how… beneath him Aizen was.

Aizen, who had always been above everyone else… who had feared nothing… who had thought himself so different from the meaningless existences that followed him blindly…

The same Aizen that thought himself the one to sit upon the throne in heaven had succumbed to what he had used to gain himself that same "throne".

The moment that Aizen let its grasp touch him, he'd lost his image as a God. It sullied his absolute power, bringing him down to the same level as everyone else.

Yes, a God wouldn't fall to such a worldly thing… something so surprisingly _human._ Mundane.

As Ichigo saw the fear slip into Aizen, he saw the "God" disappear.

'_The God has fallen'_ thought Ichigo with a sadistic mirth.

…

Aizen could feel something… something off in his being; he stared down at where the Hogyoku had implanted itself in his chest… only to see nothing. Aizen's small smile pulled into a frown, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Aizen stared at Ichigo, not able to comprehend what had just happened. Before him he saw Ichigo; his eyes were glowing with a purple hue, a black glittering gem that seemed as endless as it did empty lay in his chest where his hollow hole had been, and black roots were branching from the gem into Ichigo's chest.

Aizen was furious, as much as hurt, as it dawned on him that Ichigo had bonded with the Hogyoku… the Hogyoku that had been meant for him… had been his just moments before as he'd placed his "check mate" on Gin.

But there was something else. Something… Aizen's eyes widened as he felt something creep into him. That something was so strange to him that at first he couldn't tell what it was, but when it wrapped its cold talons around him he noted it with shock. Fear. He was afraid.

This… wasn't right. His pawn, the tool he had molded had somehow gotten out of control. Aizen shifted between fear and fury, unsure which to feel. He had created something dangerous, he knew that. He should have expected this… but he had been- was- a God! God's didn't need to fear powerful tools… pawns were just suppose to obey; to jump, bark, attack, or die when told.

But yet, Aizen couldn't help but be afraid…

That was when he finally felt it or, as it be, he realized what was missing; what he didn't feel.

There was nothing coming from Ichigo. No trace of power, no spiritual pressure… nothing.

Aizen's body wanted to shudder with what he saw- a being that was as powerful as a monster- and what he felt- nothing.

But… hadn't he seen that Ichigo could have broken at some point? Hadn't there always been the possibility of Ichigo destroying the world? Yes, Aizen had known that this could happen… it was just that he had excluded himself from that picture, from the world. And he hadn't seen the breaking of Ichigo's little bit of sanity going along with the Hogyoku combing with him.

But now… he saw clearly that this monster would not be leaving him untouched if he destroyed the world. No, the fires of hell that had been unleashed would consume the whole world in their fury… and him included.

Aizen kept his face neutral, only his eyes giving away his emotions as he smiled slightly in what seemed almost a rueful way, "I didn't expect this little development."

…

Ichigo smirked, not sure if it was him or the Hogyoku that initiated the command, "Oh?"

Ichigo strolled towards Aizen slowly, taking a vicious delight in the way Aizen's body tensed- though Aizen's expression stayed the same. Ichigo stopped besides Aizen, his shoulder almost touching the said person as he chuckled darkly.

"Now… what was that new order Aizen-_sama_?" Ichigo drawled out, his tone dripping with unconcealed mocking.

Aizen- Ichigo had to respect- didn't flinch away or show any signs of unease… on the outside. Aizen just stared composedly in the opposite direction of Ichigo, that small smile plastered on his face. If he heard the mocking or felt the danger in the being next to him, he didn't give it away.

Except, Ichigo couldn't help but note, the hurried pounding of Aizen's pulse that was out of the man's control.

"If you'd be so kind," Aizen finally said slowly, his words guarded, "As to kill all the useless pawns?"

"Is the game over so soon?" he questioned, amused at the growing discomfort and fear that Aizen was trying to keep at bay… but couldn't quite hide from Ichigo.

Aizen chuckled. Ichigo couldn't say he wasn't brazen, but it was all a façade… the illusion of "God" had vanished leaving only a fool trying to act strong. A fool trying to act like he hadn't fallen, submitted, to a mundane existence.

"Yes," Aizen said softly, that small smile not showing his inner distress, "I think it's time to find a new game to play."

"A new game…" Ichigo started, his violet tinged eyes staring into Aizen's, flashing darkly… seriously, "But are you the king of this new game or just another pawn, I wonder?"

Ichigo left Aizen behind, smiling to himself at the shocked expression that had flashed across Aizen's face for a second. Ichigo palmed his sword, the black steel feeling cool to his touch. Dead… but it thrummed with power, with bloodlust, still.

He closed his eyes, feeling the comforting presence of the Hogyoku. With his eyes closed, his head tilted towards the sky, and the thrum of power radiating through him, Ichigo felt at peace.

He wasn't afraid. He didn't feel hurried. He was the one to be feared.

Ichigo knew in that moment that he was insuperable, but he also knew he wasn't any type of God.

'_No…'_ thought Ichigo with an ironic smile on his peaceful, upturned face, '_That was where Aizen had failed. He had thought to pretend to be a God… but God's fall. They lose their power when they lose the illusion of being omnipotent. He had wanted so bad to be looked upon as a King… the black king who was also God. '_

Aizen had failed the moment he had tried to take the black throne with the title of "God".

Ichigo knew he wasn't a God… he was more a Devil then a God. He wasn't a hero, someone to be looked up to. He was more of the villain, the already fallen warrior… but a fallen warrior knew his power laid in the dark. They didn't need the illusion to be strong. They got their strength from the very same fall that destroyed God's.

He wasn't a God, but a demon… the Devil. One to be feared, not reverenced. He wasn't anything high and mighty, he was deadly and strong.

And it was this that made him smile ironically; he had usurped the throne unintentionally… Or maybe taken what had been meant for him.

You couldn't sit the black throne and try to be a "god"… no, the black throne lay not in heaven but in hell. And to sit the throne in hell you had to be a monster.

A God couldn't sit the black throne… but a devil could.

Ichigo opened his eyes, throwing his last words to Aizen over his shoulder with the intent to hurt, "You know, when a "king"… "god"… -be it whatever you want to call it- loses… they don't just walk away to start a new game."

"They die."

And with that, the new Black King with his black sword and his black heart with his black tendrils of his black power swirling around him took to the field to end this farce of a game.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Yup, I don't own.

Read, enjoy, and **REVIEW ... **really, they make my day =)

Oh, **warning**! Minor **cursing**

* * *

Grimmjow knew something was… off. He pulled his hand out of the Shinigami's chest before him, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the battlefield.

Looking to the right, he saw the Shinigami known as Kenpachi- who was a beast that he wanted to finsh off if he got the chance- finishing of Nnoirtora- good rindance, he'd hated that fucken bug.

'_Nope' _he growled in his mind, _'Nothing big there besides my prey becoming available.'_

He turned towards the left, seeing the two freak scientist with weird hair standing off.

'_Fuck,' _he thought with an uncontrollable shudder as he got a vivid image of laying on an operating table with one of those two freaks cutting him open and messing with his insides.

Nothing to worry about there as well… but he still moved in the other direction. It was best to not mess with those two freaks unless he wanted bad things to happen… like catching one of their interests.

Grimmjow felt a shudder run through his body against his will, that was on a different scale then when he'd been looking at the two nut jobs, as his eyes landed on something dark and threatening that was slowly consuming the battlefield. How had he missed that? Cursing his body's damn weakness at the wave of fear that seemed to bite into his core, Grimmjow couldn't help but stay rooted to the spot. He felt an overwhelming force come from the black creature that was making it rain blood wherever it went. Grimmjow's hand went to his sword as a growl rose in his chest.

He hated feeling like some fucken kitten.

He was the KING.

Grimmjow felt his eyes widen as the black creature stopped and slowly turned to look at him from across the battlefield. It's eyes glowed purple, staring through him. Those eyes… they were looking down on him.

It wasn't until Grimmjow felt himself fill with a burning anger, an uncontrollable murderous intent, and take one aggressive step forward that he realized who that creature was.

Kurosaki Ichigo.

Grimmjow felt something off, he truly did- this wasn't even close to the Ichigo he was used to-, but still his pride got the better of him.

No one fucken looked at him with those eyes… those eyes that looked at him as if from above.

It didn't matter that deep down this monster Ichigo frightened him to no degree… that he knew he had no chance of winning… no. He wasn't going to give in to fear. To death.

He would cut those eyes out if he had to.

He'd show this monster.

He'd show any fucker who wanted to mess with him.

He was the goddamned king.

…

Ichigo couldn't keep a sneer off his face as he could practically read Grimmjow's thoughts.

He didn't even bat an eye as the sexta charged him.

It was easy, almost laughingly so.

Grimmjow released his sword, his eyes blazing with all the fury of a panther.

Ichigo wanted to yawn but thought better of it.

He sidestepped Grimmjow's claws as they tore through the air right where he had been. Again and again Ichigo dodged, smiling mockingly to bait him on. Grimmjow roared his best, tried to hit him with his claws, but it was all in vain. The sexta couldn't keep up with him, not even a bit. He couldn't reach Ichigo. Ichigo was simply playing with him.

It was just like some game of cat and mouse.

A game that was getting already old.

…

Grimmjow couldn't even articulate his rage at not being able to even remotely come close to hitting Ichigo.

He clawed and roared but it all looked like some weak piece of shit.

Grimmjow lost sight of Ichigo, snarling as he looked around trying to spot the head of orange. That was when he felt it. It tore through his chest; Grimmjow numbly looked down to see Ichigo removing his hand just as he had done moments before to that shitty Shinigami.

Grimmjow staggered forward, clutching his chest as it spilt blood to the ground. A cough racked through his whole body as he shakily turned to glare at Ichigo. He coughed again, blood trailing from his mouth.

He reached out his clawed hand that wasn't clutching the hole in his chest. He snarled, the blood in his throat making it sound more like a gurgle. The world swayed as he took a forced step forward, then another.

Those eyes…

Darkness crept in on him as he fell forward, collapsing to the ground.

…

Ichigo looked on the scene before him with a mixture of pity and disgust. He watched Grimmjow pathetically try to attack him one last time, practically already dead on his feet but still trying to reach him.

Ichigo had to give him one thing, Grimmjow's eyes held that stupid defiance even in the end.

Ichigo watched Grimmjow collapse, breathing his last breathes. Ichigo walked over to the body, his eyes looking down upon Grimmjow's corpse with distain. He kicked it once, angry that it hadn't been any fun at all.

'_That stupid sexta had thought himself a king,'_ Ichigo thought as he looked down on the pitiful weakling, a sense of bitterness in the back of his mind that he couldn't place, _'What a fool…'_

Ichigo walked away from the corpse, but something tugged him back. He glanced over his shoulder, something within him looking at the body with a certain sadness before the Hogyoku absorbed away all of the feeling.

A fool trying to play at being a king…

'_Let's go Ichigo.' _the Hogyoku murmured, it's black wisps of consciousness pulling him forward, '_Let go of stupid thoughts, don't be a fool. Let's have some fun.'_

'_But,' _Ichigo couldn't help but think as he let the Hogyoku lead him onward, his mind slowly becoming blank except for the feel of his black sword in his hand, '_Don't the fools die?'_

_In the end, don't the kings and the pawns both go back into the same box?_


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I dont own.

Just a short little chapter, I'm sorry, but I promise that the next chapter will be MUCH longer. I want to thank everyone for reviewing! I'm truly sorry I don't have time to get back to everyone.

So with all that said... read, enjoy, and... **REVIEW**!

* * *

Ichigo didn't think as he cut through anyone in his way. They all fell so easily, his sword cutting through them faster then most could even comprehend. Blood flew all around- warm splashes landing on his face, his body, coating his arms… it almost looked like rain.

Ichigo was in a daze, his body just moving as each blow, each splash of red, gave him this thrum of contentment. A thrill.

He felt… happy.

Powerful.

Ichigo had on a crazed smile, his glowing purple eyes shining.

"Heh." A voice interrupted his thoughts, pausing him in his advance, "Heehee heh. You've gone and done it!"

Ichigo's eyes fell on the speaker, Kenpachi. Blood covered, the massive man had severe wounds that were gushing blood. His eye patch was gone and his spiky hair was matted with blood… along with his jagged sword which rested on his shoulder, stained with blood and slowly dripping red drops to the already sullied ground.

And yet, Kenpachi looked liked he could care less- like he didn't even feel the wounds or realize that he wore a second coat of blood.

Kenpachi grinned at Ichigo, his eyes blood-thirsty even as he dripped in blood. He was un-sated; always wanting more. More power, never satisfied with his current state.

"I should hate you. Should want to get "revenge"," he yelled out, a rough bark of a laugh escaping him, "But I can't seem to care about stupid shit like that!"

Ichigo looked confused until he looked down at the ground and saw the butchered body of Yumichika and the remains of what had been Ikkaku. He hadn't even realized it had been them he had been fighting just moments before.

"Those idiots weren't strong enough… when I think on it my blood boils… I'm not one for revenge for the weak" Kenpachi continued, his hand not holding his sword scratching his head before he shrugged and laughed.

"All I want to do is beat you to a bloody corpse! All I want to do is what I've always done! Fight, fight, and fight!"

And with that he swung his sword down, both of his hands gripping it. The blast from the swing sliced through the air, cutting the towers that happened to be close with a clean cut.

"You better put up a good fight, Ichigo." He cried out, his voice wild, "I'm hoping to have some fun; I'm not holding back!"

Ichigo smiled as his blade blocked Kenpachi's strike, the ground on either side of both of them cutting apart from the force of the blows.

Ichigo fell into the deadly dance. There was nothing fancy, no unique powers. Just sword on sword, skill on skill. He slashed Kenpachi multiple times, adding more wounds to the heavily wounded man. Even so, Kenpachi never faltered; his eyes never lost their crazed edge. He was enjoying this fight.

It could have lasted hours, but Ichigo was losing patience. Going against the unsaid rules, Ichigo appeared behind Kenpachi stabbing him from behind.

Kenpachi started to push away, coughing up blood but still moving. Ichigo smiled, it was cold and cruel, but it held a sense of admiration for the massive man.

"Sorry Kenpachi, this is the end." Ichigo sighed out, resting his hand against the back of Kenpachi's head as his hand glowed black with a tinge of purple, "This is the end."

Kenpachi laughed, it was a harsh sound, "Damn it, I wanted to kill you… I really wanted to cut you to pieces…"

Ichigo almost paused as he saw a single tear fall from those crazed and blazing eyes.

"Damn it… in the end I became weak… just like those two… " Kenpachi trailed off, his sword raised as he readied to swing at Ichigo one last time.

Kenpachi, in one last flourish, stabbed his sword through himself and partly into Ichigo's stomach.

Kenpachi pulled out his sword, staggering forward, "It wasn't much," he muttered bitterly as he fell to the ground in a pile of flesh and blood, "But I was able to at least reach you with my blade… for… for them…"

A small smile appeared on his face as his eyes slowly closed, "Heh, hehehehehehe…. I didn't want something stupid like revenge… but I still wanted to pound you for them… is that considered revenge I wonder?"

Ichigo held his hand to his stomach, his eyes cold but respectful to the man that lay on the ground dead. In the end, he'd chosen to stab through himself to injure Ichigo at least a bit.

Ichigo smiled slightly, almost bitterly, as he looked at the man who had fought just for the love of fighting… but even then, this bloodthirsty monster, in the end, hadn't been fighting just to fight…

No, in the end- even if he hadn't fully realized it- he had been fighting for his comrades… for revenge.

Ichigo felt, in a way, left behind. He couldn't change like Kenpachi had; he couldn't find a way to fight for a cause… for someone.

Not anymore.

Now, nobody mattered to him.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Nope. I still don't own bleach... yet.

So, here's the new chapter! It's a bit longer, my treat for being so forgetful. And yes I know that I gave Byakuya a long part here... but he's one of my favorite characters and I think it fits... tell me if you absolutely hate it, please? I really do like to know what you guys think, even if it's that I'm a crappy writer ( but you better well give me a reason xD ). I don't mind criticism, it helps me as a writer and story planner.

So, with all that said...

Read, Enjoy, and... **REVIEW**!

It makes me happy if you do =)

* * *

Rukia stumbled through the chaos, everyone else on her heels. She held her hand on her side, deluding herself into thinking that it didn't hurt. She was dirty, covered in blood and grim. Her face was stained with permanent tears. Tears of sadness… of guilt… of disbelief… of betrayal.

The only thing that she could focus on as her feet pounded along the ground, faltering at times, was the image of Orihime's head flying in a horrendously graceful arc.

But mostly her thoughts kept coming back to one thing… the monster that had wielded the blade. The black blade that she had become so used to seeing protect.

Rukia couldn't believe that Ichigo would do something like… like… she couldn't say the words. She couldn't believe that it was even possible.

Rukia felt acid in her mouth, her vision was blurry, but she kept moving. She had to face the fact that… that thing was no longer Ichigo. It was simply a monster. A monster that had taken away her friend.

Rukia stopped, watching as the monster Ichigo killed off the monstrous Kenpachi. She felt her heart want to tear out of her chest at the sight.

The purple glow that seemed to radiate off him made a shiver run through Rukia; she couldn't even see her Ichigo anymore even though most of his features stayed the same. Her eyes rested where the bone-white mask dipped down the side of his face and around his eye… on the horns that seemed almost elegant in their brutality.

She hated to admit it, but this almost washed out Ichigo- his skin and hair slightly paler, the stark mask and horns, along with the eerie purple glow- gave him an almost surreal quality… almost beautiful…

Except for the stains of scarlet that coated him and his black blade, showing the true black heart within. The blood… so much blood changed his appearance to something threatening and sinister. Something that made you want to scream and run.

Rukia felt her throat go dry, she started to shake uncontrollably. Images of all those that he'd killed flashed through her mind… the ghosts of his victims that seemed to cling not just to him but to her as well… That cold stare that adorned the sinisterly beautiful monster's face as he turned it skyward.

Rukia gritted her teeth, clenching her hands to try and contain her fear… her fear of this creature that was burning through her veins turning that very same fear into something akin to anger.

He'd betrayed them all… but for some reason she couldn't get it out of her heart to be angry not just with him but to blame, also, herself.

Rukia didn't hear the worried voices of her brother and Renji behind her; she didn't feel the pain from her broken body. All she felt was that burning hurt at herself and at the monster before her that was wearing the face of someone she loved and turning it into a symbol of loathing…

All of her pent up emotions exploded in one shrill cry of anguish and anger, "ICHIIIIIGGGGGOOOOOO!"

…

Ichigo turned around slowly at the sound of his name being called. The voice sounded so… broken… and familiar.

His eyes landed on Rukia, his face expressionless as a wave of emotion threatened to fill him. But the Hogyoku reassured him, protected him, as it took away the flood before he could even name his own feelings at the sight of the beaten raven-haired Shinigami.

Rukia looked… awful. Her clothes were torn and bloody, her face stained with tears and grim. There was a deep pain in her purple eyes. She bled from so many wounds he couldn't even see any part of her that wasn't all beaten.

Here stood the Shinigami that had saved his life, given him power. Here stood the person that he had risked his life for, charged straight into soul society for. Here stood the person who had always been there for him, whose smile made him able to find strength he didn't even know he had. The same small Shinigami who sucked at drawing, had a bad temper, and liked to sleep in his closet.

And yet, even as all these fond memories came they were sweep away. He saw her, on the borderline of death as she called out his name in a miserable fury, and yet he couldn't care less.

"Shinigami." Ichigo greeted, a small, chilling, smile appearing on his face.

Tears spilt down Rukia's face as she glared at him, "This has gone on long enough."

Without a moments notice she charged him, Ichigo easily blocking her blade with nothing but his hand.

Unfazed, her eyes blazing with fury, she looked upon him without fear, "You've caused enough damage… you even… even killed Orihime dammit!" she spat at him.

"And Ishida… Chad… countless Shinigami…" she shouted on.

A sob escaped her, "I'm… I'm going to bring justice upon you…" her voice broke, losing all its anger and edge. Rukia deflated, the fire burning out, "I'm going to kill you Ichigo." She whispered her eyes brimming with tears, her expression tortured.

Ichigo looked thoughtful for a moment before a smile slowly crept across his face. The smile had a dark maniacal look to it; it didn't reach his eyes which gazed on emotionlessly with their purple glow. Uncaring.

"Justice?" he whispered softly, that sinister expression still on his face as he reached out his hand and caressed Rukia's tearstained cheek.

Her eyes widened pitifully as her sword dropped to her side.

Ichigo glanced over his shoulder, knowing that Byakuya and Renji were almost upon them. His smiled widened as he bent forward and whispered in her ear.

"I'll show you "justice""

…

Rukia didn't even cry out in pain as swords of spirital pressure so dense, so maliciously powerful, stabbed through her from the ground. The swords of pure black glowed an eerie purple.

Rukia coughed, blood trailing out of her mouth as she tried to move. It was no use. The swords were stabbed through her stomach, chest, legs and arms suspending her off the ground. Blood ran down the swords to the ground, coating the black with a deep crimson.

Her vision flickered, she felt her breathing stagger, but yet she wasn't dead. She couldn't speak; she couldn't even muster up the energy to glare at the person who had called the swords from the depths of hell.

She could only watch helplessly as Ichigo smiled at her, a smile that made her blood run cold. A smile so ruthless that you couldn't believe the wearer had ever been human.

Ichigo looked her in the eyes as he mouthed again those frightful words…

"I'll show you "justice"" his lips said to her as he turned away.

Rukia felt her heart miss a beat as she knew who Ichigo was now walking towards. Everything seemed to slow.

Rukia looked forward right at her brother and Renji, trying to tell them to run with her eyes… but knowing it was too late.

It was far too late.

…

"I was waiting for you to join us." Ichigo said with a cheerless chuckle as his eyes landed on Byakuya and Renji.

Byakuya just stared emotionlessly at him, his eyes sliding past him to look at the pinned and bleeding Rukia. Almost un- perceptually Byakuya's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing across his emotionless expression before he regained his composure.

Renji on the other hand cried out his emotions like an open book. His anger was almost palpable, his hand flying to his sword as he released it with a war cry.

Ichigo could almost laugh as Renji charged him without thinking, his actions so foolish and rash. Ichigo dodged blow after blow, playing with the stray dog just like he had the stupid sexta kitty.

Renji howled, trying his best to sink his fangs into Ichigo in vain. His fangs never even came close; his howls still only a sad baying to the moon.

Ichigo lifted his hand to strike, tired of all these worthless nuisances.

…

"Renji." Byakuya said quietly, yet his voice seemed to cut through the fighting like a knife.

Renji froze, Ichigo's hand pointed at his throat like a dagger.

Renji cursed, jumping away from Ichigo and towards Byakuya, as his hand wiped the thin line of blood from his throat.

"Keep your cool Renji unless you want to be killed without even glancing him." Byakuya said evenly, his eyes locked on Ichigo as he drew his sword.

Byakuya lifted his sword, but before he could do anything more Renji grabbed his hand.

Renji didn't even look at Byakuya, his eyes burning with a fury that was aimed only at the monster before them, "Captain." He started seriously, "Let me handle this."

Byakuya looked at his vice captain. He could see the anger rolling off him in waves, but he seemed collected enough. He himself was struggling to quell his burning anger; his wanting to charge forward heedlessly and save his pride… to retrieve his dying sister and punish the traitor who had caused this.

Byakuya's stare drifted to the monster between him and Rukia… the boy Kurosaki Ichigo.

Byakua's eyes softened the longer he looked, they became sad; a cold running through him to halt the fire that had been raging in him. There were no traces of the boy who had so boldly challenged Soul Society; who had shaken the very base of the Gotei 13.

Where there had been a naïve innocence there now stood an aged bitterness; where there had been a fierce protectiveness there now was only a deranged, closed heart… one that wanted to see the world burn. And lastly, and the one that made Byakuya feel remorse for the pitiful monster before him and also a deep sense of fear, was the warping of his bright and limitless strength into something so dark… so ruthless… the warping of a pure power into something that held him akin- if not more so- to a monster. You couldn't even tell that he'd ever been human.

Byakuya looked back at Renji, this wasn't a monster they could fight and live against.

"Renji," Byakuya started quietly, but with a sharp edge to his voice, "I'll handle him… you should know what you have to do."

He left it unsaid that Renji should focus on Rukia and getting away from here.

And before his vice could complain, before he could lose his nerve- think more on the inevitable death that awaited him- he opened his hand. His sword fell slowly, sinking into the ground.

"Bankai."

…

Ichigo didn't even react as he was engulfed in Byakua's black sphere, as the glowing pink swords surrounded him in endless numbers.

"Has it come time for me to kill you?" Ichigo asked with a dark smile that engulfed his face in shadows, except for the glowing purple of his eyes that shone through and locked on Byakuya.

Byakuya didn't answer as he lifted his hand, a torrent of pink blade petals answering.

Ichigo lifted his blade, blocking the attacks as they whirled around him. Byakuya's expression remained stoic as he guided attack after attack; expressionless eyes held empty ones.

Ichigo smiled, a tinge of honest pleasure in it, as he had to up his speed to match with Byakuya. Ichigo dodged and blocked, but the endless petals were as ruthless as they had always been. Nicks that dribbled thin streams of blood appeared on his arms, face, and torso even as he blocked most of the little blades.

Though Byakuya was good- fast in a way that didn't need brute strength to be effective and thus challenging even the hardest of opponents- he still wasn't even close to being on the same level as Ichigo.

Ichigo flashed forward, right through Byakuya's defenses. Byakuya's eyes widened slightly as Ichigo brought up his sword to strike. Ichigo's smile twisted into something crazed, his purple eyes shining as he slashed a jagged cut across Byakuya's chest.

Byakuya staggered back, his eyes flashing their pain as he gripped his chest. But, to his credit, Byakuya didn't miss a beat. He lifted the hand not clutching his bleeding chest and called forth his blades, the blades that listened to their wielder even as they tore through his outstretched arm along with the enemy due to the proximity. The beautiful pink petals bit into Byakuya's arm and Ichigo's shoulder brutally, equally, leaving scarlet red in their wake.

Ichigo clutched his shoulder, the warm blood coating his hand and dripping down his arm to fall to the ground. Ichigo's manical smile widened. Even as the pain came, it disappeared as the Hogyoku whisked it away.

But Byakuya's daring move didn't go so well for him- even as his eyes showed no more hint of their previous pain, it was evident that he was hurting… and hurting meant slowing down. Byakuya's arm lay useless now at his side, his eyes steely, as he didn't acknowledge the wound on his chest that seemed to pour blood or his torn sleeve that showed how much his own attack had recoiled on him.

Ichigo again struck out at Byakuya, stabbing through only his white captain's cloak- that had been drenched with blood from all the fighting- where moments before the wearer had been.

Byakuya appeared behind him, his expression flashing his pain at the motion. Ichigo turned, ready to finish him off, when a shock of pain momentarily halted him.

Ichigo fell to his knees, his hand fluttering to where the Hogyoku was lodged in his chest. Ichigo's eyes widened as he felt the usually smooth crystal, his hand pausing on where there was a hairline crack.

And sure enough, a little pink blade- looking like an innocent flower petal- fluttered to the ground as it disappeared into dust. Ichigo looked up, slightly taken aback as his eyes landed on Byakuya who gave him a small smile- which seemed as rueful as it did pleased.

Ichigo didn't have time to do anything else before a screeching sounded in his head, his hands going to try and cover his ears in vain as the sound seemed to split apart his brain, cracking his skull. He gritted his teeth as he was paralyzed from the overwhelming piercing sound… the cry of the Hogyoku.

…

Renji tried to ignore the fight around him as he stalked slowly towards where Rukia was. His heart thudded in his chest at the prospect of being seen, at being found out by the monster of a person that he had once known who was being kept busy by his captain. He tried to calm his breathing as he shoved aside his fears for his captain… as he tried to ignore the pressure in his chest at the idea of never seeing Byakuya again even if he managed to get Rukia and retreat… no, his captain was already long gone. Dead.

But he'd willingly walked into it, knowing how it was going to turn out.

Renji shoved all other thoughts away except Rukia.

If it was the last thing he could do, he'd save her.

…

Byakuya walked- or more so staggered- towards the temporarily fallen Ichigo. His vision faded on and off to black as the blood loss was getting to his head. He removed his good hand from where it clutched his chest, holding out his blood covered hand as one of his glowing swords appeared in it.

He walked towards Ichigo with a solemn expression, like that of a remorseful executioner. He knew what he had to do.

As he stopped next to Ichigo, towering over him, the breathless ex-substitute lifted his head to look up at him. His usually eerie purple eyes glowed with an internal pain but even so he smiled at Byakuya humorlessly.

It almost looked bitter or sad… if Byakuya could believe that there was anything human left in this monster.

But even as Byakuya tried to steel himself against what he had to do, convince himself that any remorse this monster showed was false… how any pity he felt for the monster, who he couldn't help but see as still a foolish boy, was worthless… He had a job, a duty, to accomplish. Ichigo's words dampened his resolve.

"Can you do it?" Ichigo whispered, his eyes never leaving Byakya's… that small smile still on his face even as his eyes showed how just speaking was taxing him, "Can you really kill me?"

Byakuya gritted his teeth, trying not to let his words affect him. He raised his blade, resting it against Ichigo's neck.

"Even when I can't move?" he chuckled darkly, "How harsh. Where's that stupid pride of yours now? Where's that noble's honor?"

Byakuya looked into Ichigo's eyes, a sense of guilt washing through him. He looked at the monster that lay under his blade, feeling that it was somehow his fault that Ichigo had ended up this way.

This was someone who had been meant to be a hero... The dark king who had been meant to be a white knight.

All of Soul Society had failed him, had failed this boy turned Shinigami. He had been consumed by their world and had thus been used as a piece of the game that Aizen had been planning since long ago. They had expected so much of him… they had forgotten that he'd been human.

And now there was no trace of that humanity anymore as Byakuya looked at the bloodstained being before him.

Byakuya clenched his teeth, his mind in chaos as it tortured him over what he should do. His pride as a captain wanted him to fulfill his duties, to kill off Ichigo- the threat-, but his honor at seeing a defenseless warrior- warped as he might be, but wasn't it partially his fault?- wouldn't let him.

Slowly, Byakuya let his blade drop from Ichigo's neck. It fell to his side as his shoulders slumped in defeat against his own conscious. He had lectured Rukia about being able to do what needed to be done without thinking of himself. In the end he bitterly realized that he couldn't do it.

He couldn't kill Kurosaki Ichigo.

…

Ichigo smiled, feeling his fingers twitch as he was gaining back control over his paralyzed body- even as the Hogyoku cried on.

'_The fool. The honorable fool.'_ Was the only thought running through Ichigo's mind as he lifted his hand. There was no remorse.

"Cero."

...

Byakuya's eyes didn't widen as he saw the blast coming towards him, he just looked melancholy as he watched what was going to be his end come. His eyes didn't look at Ichigo with hatred or betrayal; he just faced the blast head on, his eyes slowly closing as he accepted his end.

But it never came.

…

Ichigo chuckled as he saw Byakuya open his eyes in shock. His eyes danced with sadistic delight as Byakuya looked at him with confusion, "I wonder, how's that vice captain of yours?" Ichigo drawled out, a vicious smirk on his face.

Byakuya's expression went from confusion to a stony blankness. His face paled slightly, but his eyes were unreadable. Byakuya turned his head slowly, looking over his shoulder.

His eyes followed a piece of scorched white cloth as it fluttered in the air. The cloth danced in the blast of wind that the cero had left behind, slowly making it's way to the ground. Byakuya's eyes narrowed slightly; it was Renji's.

Ichigo stood, brushing himself off as he shoved aside the Hogyoku's painful cries- that were lessening- in his mind, "Sorry I didn't leave much of him."

…

Byakuya didn't turn, didn't react in the slightest as Ichigo talked to him. He knew that he was saying something, but he couldn't comprehend the words. He felt numb. Beyond numb.

His eyes slid from that damned piece of cloth- the remnants of a fool's headband- to where his sister was suspended by swords. Tears glistened on her face along with the scarlet blood. He felt sick. Beyond sick.

Byakuya wanted to shout, to scream, to cry out his frustrations… but he remained stoic. He remained composed.

He couldn't keep one tear from falling though.

It slid down his face, falling to the blood soaked ground.

He had failed.

He had let everyone down… he felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Now that it was the end- and oh, he knew it was- he was not sure what he could say about his life.

Byakuya would have liked to say that it had been an honorable one; that he had made his house proud. But yet that bitter taste wouldn't leave him.

But, he'd guess, anyone seeing his life would assume that it had been a successful one. He had been a prodigy, a captain, and was, down to his very core and lifestyle, an noble.

He couldn't deny what they would assume, but that bitter taste was reminding him that it just was not the full story.

It could have been his shallow ego or his vast pride- or maybe just this consuming feeling of failure that weighed heavy on him-, but he couldn't truly say that his life was anywhere near perfect.

If it had been, he wouldn't be dying with such regrets.

But what could Byakuya have done differently? What was causing him all this regret as he waited for the end, his life ticking away?

Thoughts of one person came to mind; materialized before Byakuya like a beautiful, but yet haunting, ghost. He would have to guess that it was something to do with Hisana.

Hisana…

Byakuya smile ruefully, it seemed almost like he could touch her but the painful truth was that she'd forever be out of his reach. A ghost… had she come to take him away?

Hisana…

Bykuya felt a bitter sorrow overcome him.

Or had she come to scold him? To punish him for not finding her sister faster? For not protecting her sister in the end? For letting Rukia get hurt because of his weakness…. his failure.

Byakuya felt a stabbing pain grip his heart. He had failed poor Rukia...

Her battered form… the blood… how broken her body looked lifted by those swords soaked with her blood…

Byakuya wondered if she knew how much he'd actually cared for her, he'd never got to say it in words. He had truly wanted to protect her… to be strong enough to keep her safe and happy.

His thoughts drifted to his dutiful vice captain. That wild child… so stubborn… obstinate… but yet loyal in his own way. He had so much skill… potential… though he'd never planned on telling him as much.

But now there was nothing left of him except for a piece of cloth.

Byakuya wished that he could tell him that he didn't regret that he had been his vice captain; that though his presence had been irritating at times, he still wouldn't have wanted anyone else watching his back.

He guessed he had failed him to.

Byakuya almost laughed bitterly, he hadn't released how proficient he'd been at that.

Failing everyone…

And besides the old man- sorry that he'd messed up another captain's jacket-, the other captains- sorry that he hadn't been able to defeat the enemy-, and his grandfather's memory- which seemed to be shaking it's head at him in shame at the pitiful state he was in- thoughts of the substitute Shinigami still came unbidden to his mind.

Byakuya didn't react as he felt the black sword stab through him from behind. He didn't feel anything besides regret as he was stabbed through by the same man -boy- that at one point he would have followed and helped without question… the same person that had been nothing more then a foolish child in his eyes, but yet had unconsciously gained so much trust from not just himself, but from most of everyone that he had come into contact with… until that day that he'd died. The day that his humanity was ripped right from his chest and he became a monster.

He wondered if Ichigo had known as much; if he realized how much this was hurting the ones that used to hold him in some esteem or another.

Byakuya coughed up blood as the blade was pulled out. Blood seemed to fly in every direction, but it didn't even register to him. He heard Ichigo say something, but the words didn't reach him. The world seemed to blur as he fell forward, hitting the ground hard.

He felt a deep sense of sadness as his life slowly drained away, spilling to the ground in the form of his blood.

There had been so much he'd left unsaid; too much that he hadn't thought of as important until now.

Too many people that he'd failed.

A small smile was all that he was able to manage, one filled with all his remorse. He found it perversely funny how he hadn't realize what he'd had, or what he was losing, until he was at death's door looking back at what he would be leaving forever.

…

"Slow even as dying, huh?" Ichigo inquired nonchalantly to Byakuya.

Ichigo didn't bat an eye to the dying man on the ground before him as he stepped over his body. He sauntered over to Rukia, a vicious smile on his face.

"Little bird," Ichigo sneered as he turned Rukia's face towards him, "Are you happy? Do you understand reality now?"

"This is justice."

Rukia stared at him, her eyes full of tears as she was unable to speak. Ichigo sighed, disappointed by the empty look in her eyes. There was no fight left in her.

"Damn," Ichigo sighed sadly, "Guess I broke you."

The Hogyoku chuckled in his head, the sound indicating that its little fit of pain was over, _'You should have drawn it out more. You had no delicacy, of course she broke!'_

Ichigo scoffed, waving his hand to make the swords disappear. Ichigo turned, leaving brother and sister to slowly bleed out- if they weren't already dead.

'_Feeling better?'_ he asked the Hogyoku sarcastically.

Before he got an answer, his eyes widened as he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He slowly looked down, an empty hole was all that he saw where the Hogyoku should have been. Blood poured from the gap where his heart should be… where the Hogyoku should be.

He fell to his knees, looking over his shoulder to see Aizen holding the black crystal in his hands, a deranged grin on his face.

The world swayed as blackness, burning blackness, engulfed Ichigo from all sides.


	26. Author's Note

So, school is out finally for me (graduated!) and I'm going to be posting the rest of this story in an orderly fashion. **Before I post the new chapter in a few days, I just want all my readers to know a few things.**

**1) Please don't take into account the new chapters of Bleach while reading the rest of my story (if you've read them, I'm not getting into that twist that was thrown at us this ark) I wrote this story a decent amount of time ago.**

**2)Please stick with it. It might seem really depressing and sad, but the ending will be really,really good. I promise! (or at least I think it's poetic)**

**3)Remember that Ichigo at the beginning of my story became an ESPADA. He was a HOLLOW. Not himself. And once the Hogyoku bonded with him, it's all down hill. The Hogyoku is responding to what Ichigo wants, or well his mindset. First the hollow mindset, then when he snaps it goes berserk just as much as Ichigo does. It's responding to Ichigo's crazy emotions (and what it thinks he wants) In the next few chapters, I've taken my writers liberty to create something that is very much monstrous to represent Ichigo fully gone (almost like Aizen's end form? If you squint your eyes... and, well, definitely not as much in control but you know)**

So... I think that was everything! I'll give this a few days to be read, then I'll post a new chapter! Message me directly if you have any questions (sorry for not responding to reviews... I try, then I just lose track of which ones I responded to and which I didn't... and then I just answer none...)


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I sadly still don't own Bleach...

Here's the new chapter! I'll probably be updating every Friday until the story is finished. If you haven't yet, please read my author's note in the previous chapter. Oh, **and please note that in my mind and for this story's purpose, Urahara and Isshin are friends. It just works that way.**.. and with all that said,

Read, enjoy, and **REVIEW**!

Reviews make the world go round =)

Oh. and I would like to thank **Rumicwarrior22** for the lovely review that made me almost cry!

* * *

He'd done it. He'd actually done it.

Aizen laughed, the sound shaking his whole body, the crazed sound that it made unable to reach his ears. Aizen's mind had broken under the pressure, but he still couldn't realize it.

His eyes were wide, a smile plastered on his face in mad delight.

He'd gotten what was rightly his back. He'd gotten the Hogyoku back.

He cradled the black crystal that was dripping blood to his chest tenderly.

It was time for him to become a god again.

Before he could start to merge with the Hogyoku again, Aizen felt a wave of power so strong that it sobered him immediately.

There was a cry, a cry that seemed to shake the very core of the world. It was laced with such pain, such dark emotion, that Aizen almost crumbled to his knees from the very sound. He had a bad idea that he knew who it was.

Aizen felt a sense of dread fill him as he turned slowly to where he'd left Ichigo kneeling.

Aizen's heart thudded to a stop as he looked at the sight before him. It wasn't the same Ichigo that had been there moments before this… this… he'd thought that Ichigo had turned into a monster before, but Aizen now knew that he'd been foolish. Oh, so foolish.

Aizen had no doubt that this was what a true monster looked like.

The thing was all black. It's body didn't resemble a human's anymore; it's shoulders were too wide, its form too big. The thing was hunched over, its black tail swishing restlessly from side to side, sharp white teeth gleaming in its menacing looking mouth that jutted out slightly into something that resembled a snout. It had blood red claws and something that resembled blood dripping from the hole in its chest and dripping down its face from its closed eyes- almost like it was crying. The thing exhaled a hiss as it opened its eyes slowly and raised its bright yellow eyes to look at him.

Aizen gripped the Hogyoku tighter, only to realize that it was gone.

"Not yours…" the thing before him hissed with two distorted voices, "Not yours…"

"No…" Aizen whispered in shock, falling to his knees as the thing stalked towards him, "But… I was meant to be a god…"

"Kill," the thing muttered, its voice still the merging of two, "Kill everyone."

Aizen started to shake, his expression numb with his disbelief. He stared straight ahead, not able to move as the thing eyed him hungrily.

As the thing stopped before him, opening its deadly maw, he still couldn't believe that this was how he was meeting his end.

Eaten alive by this monster.

His cry echoed as the monster bit into his stomach, tearing through him. Blood welled up in his throat as the thing stepped on his chest, cracking his ribs. It lifted its head, it's maw dripping with gore, as it let out a predatory cry of victory that sounded like a roar.

…

Urahara rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, not sure if he meant it to comfort Isshin or hold him back.

Isshin was as still as stone under Urahara's hand as he looked at what his son had become… at the black beast that was now in his son's place.

His friend's expression was unusually blank, empty. His face was deathly pale and Urahara could only feel ice underneath where his hand laid on Isshin's shoulder.

"Isshin…" Urahara started weakly, still fighting between his need to comfort his friend and his wanting to keep him from doing something stupid.

Urahara couldn't finish as Isshin slowly turned his head to look at him. Isshin looked at him with such deep misery that it stabbed through Urahara like a physical blow. He'd never seen his friend look so utterly shattered.

Urahara felt his words choke in his throat, burning him as he was unable to utter them. His hand slowly fell from Isshin's shoulder as he could do nothing but look sadly at him, begging him with his eyes what he couldn't bare to say in words.

Isshin smiled brokenly, "Goodbye old friend. Thank you for everything."

And with that he was gone, leaving Urahara standing with his fist clenched at his sides. Urahara turned away, pushing his hat to cover his eyes. He couldn't stand to watch.

But he couldn't find it in him to leave.

…

Isshin walked towards the thing that had once been his son. His steps were heavy, but determined. His eyes held his resolve as they reflected the monster before him.

Sensing him, the monster- his son- whirled its head towards him. The thing that had once been Ichigo bared its fangs and hissed at him, its tail swishing from side to side as it crouched in ready on all fours.

"Ichigo…" Isshin started solemnly as he drew his blade slowly, the blade glinting in the light, his voice breaking only slightly "Do you know who I am? Can you even see me?"

The thing lunged forward in answer, its claws raking his side as he dodged the attack just barely. Landing, it turned on him again. Isshin stared at the monster sadly as it stalked towards him, ready to kill him.

Attack after attack, Isshin blocked or dodged. He didn't bat an eye as he got covered with wounds from where he hadn't been fast enough. He gripped his sword in his hand tightly, his hand deathly white from the pressure. He could draw his sword all he wanted, but in the end he couldn't find the strength to use it.

He gritted his teeth as the thing's tail hit him, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, his vision dotted with black. Before he could stand, he felt his chest pinned down by strong claws that dug into him. He cried out in pain as he felt sharp teeth biting into his shoulder, the thing growling as blood covered its maw from where it poured forth from Isshin's shoulder.

"_Ichigo… my son…" _he thought miserably.

The thing raised its head; its cold, inhuman, eyes staring down at him where he lay bleeding. Blood dripped from its opened mouth, its sharp teeth flashing as what had once been his son prepared to strike him dead.

The fight drained out of Isshin, he slumped into the ground as he ignored the pain from all his wounds. He stared up at the monster, wishing that he could see his son once more. He wanted to say sorry… to apologize for failing him as a father.

The thing lunged its head forward, biting his throat in one savage bite. It held on, shaking its head back and forth.

Everything went black as blood gurgled in his mouth. Isshin's eyes were glazed over before they slowly closed, the pain far away… unable to touch him. The only thing that reached him was an endless regret.

"_I'm sorry Masaki… I failed him. I failed our boy so much…"_


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: Yup, still don't own.

Here's the new chapter! I really hope you enjoy. The italics in this chapter are a quote that Urahara said to Ichigo. I hope you guys aren't too mad at me for any liberties that I've taken... the sealing technique that Urahara is talking about is the one that he used in the very end to seal Aizen... not sure if I changed anything about how it works, but I molded it to fit what I needed.

Next week's chapter is the end I think! It'll only make sense if it comes out together in one go so... yup, it's the end after this!

**Enjoy the second to last chapter**, and **REVIEW**!

…

Urahara cursed as he came too late.

He saw his friend's torn body, the monster howling its savage pride at its kill, and the blood- Isshin's blood- as it dripped from the thing's mouth.

Urahara drew his sword out from his cane, his eyes dark with rage. He molded his overflowing emotions, using it as a weapon to sharpen his sword as he swung it at the monster that crouched over his friend's dead body.

Rage. Rage at the monster, at the boy he couldn't help, at his friend for coming and for confronting his fallen son, at Aizen for causing this all in the first place… and at himself for hesitating, for not coming to aid his friend sooner- from the very beginning-… for turning his back on his friend… for even coming to his friend's side in the bitter end and not just leaving instead.

His rage- so much rage- became his weapon as he swung, hitting the monster and sending it flying a few feet. Ignoring the monster as it hit into the ground, rolled, and shook itself off all in one beat… as it growled and stalked towards him… ignoring it all he looked down sadly at his friend, the anger draining out of him as he looked at how pathetic his friend's torn body looked.

Urahara took off his hat, clutching it to his chest. He extended the hat, turning it in the air this way and that, lost in thought, before letting it fall to the ground. It fell slowly, the green and white hat landing to cover his friend's face. Blood started to soak into the rim, ruining his beloved hat.

But it was his parting gift- his apology as much as his scolding.

Urahara turned, the monster that had once been the boy he trained to fight waiting for him, its eyes hungry for more blood as it stared at him.

…

Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

There was nothing else.

No other thoughts.

There were no faces.

Nothing but the taste of sweet, sweet blood.

Of tearing flesh.

Of jumbled words that held no meaning.

A little whisper from somewhere inside the jumbled thoughts was trying to say something, but the words weren't comprehensible; there was no hearing them.

Everything became meaningless, everything became simple, everything… became painful.

The pain, it had to stop. It came from somewhere within, somewhere deep within. It burned and twisted and tore. So to stop it, there was biting and tearing and roaring. Flesh and blood to reclaim flesh and blood.

…

Urahara tried to fight back, he truly did, but whenever he used a simpler Kido it had no effect and THAT one…. That one was supposed to be to used against Aizen.

He had worked so hard, thought so long, of how to seal the hogyoku away. Ever since he had made it, he knew he needed something to combat it. But… he had made this special sealing for Aizen, AIZEN. It was supposed to be Aizen that he brought down, that he used this damning technique against.

Not Ichigo.

Or, well, what was left of Ichigo.

Urahara gritted his teeth, his sword firmly in his hand as he dodged the monster's tail as it tried to crush him. He knew he couldn't keep playing around, but… but this was the boy that he'd trained. That he had teased and played around with to no end. This boy was his friend's son.

The boy that he'd helped along to losing his sanity.

Urahara wanted to, needed to, use THAT technique but it wasn't made for Ichigo- whom he owed a great deal to. It was a damnable technique made for the damnable Aizen.

'Damn you Ichigo,' Urahara thought sadly, 'Damn you. This technique wasn't meant to be used against you…'

Isshin would probably kill him from the grave for it.

Urahara dodged, he slashed uselessly, and he even used a Kido or two. The beast lunged.

_What a let down, Kurosaki-san. A real let down. _

Urahara reached his hand out towards the beast, ready to dodge past it and lay the fatal sealing technique. It would take a simple touch, only a touch.

But his hand wavered.

_After all, there's nothing but fear reflected in your sword. _

Urahara cursed himself and his god damned luck for what seemed like the millionth time as the moment of hesitation caused him to get a clawed slash to the chest.

Blood ran freely as he held his hand to his chest, dodging just in time to avoid the following bite to the throat that would have been the end of him.

_When you dodge, 'I'm afraid of getting cut.' _

Urahara tried to forget about his wound as the monster's failed attack put him just far enough behind to have a clear shot at the things neck. Urahara brought his sword up and swung down with all his might, wanting to end it in one stroke like an executioner.

As he saw the neck, saw his blade going towards it, Urahara couldn't help but see flashes of the determined youth that the thing had once been. When he'd found him lying practically dead on the ground, the rain falling. When he'd showed him that you don't die for someone, but live. When he'd come back up from the shattered shaft, hollow mask hiding his face, before he'd lifted his broken sword and broke it. The never wavering look in his eyes as he'd gone to Soul Society to save Rukia. The look that reminded him so much of his friend.

Urahara didn't curse as he shifted his blade off target and slashed the things side instead. He looked at the monster sadly as the thing trashed around to face him, roaring at the cut on its side as blood flew in all directions as it shook itself off.

_When you attack, 'I'm afraid of cutting someone.'_

'I'm sorry' Urahara thought sadly, 'I'm not strong enough to save you. I can't even put you at rest.'

Urahara couldn't shake the fact that the reason all this even started was because he just had to create a stupid Hogyoku. He was the root of it all.

And now, when it came time to correct his mistakes, he couldn't muster up the will to do it.

If only it had been Aizen in the dark place where Ichigo was now…

He had failed Ichigo. He had failed his friend… all of soul society.

It was him that had caused all this mess, but yet he wasn't strong enough to end it.

_Even when you try to protect someone, 'I'm afraid of letting them die.' _

His sword lay at his side, useless as all the fight went out of him.

Who had he been trying to kid? He was just a washed up, old, shopkeeper who had gotten kicked out from soul society.

How could he condemn the boy when he was the true monster? He was the creator of the thing that had caused so much grief.

_Yes, your sword speaks to me only of absurd fear. _

But…

_That's not it. _

But yet…

_What's necessary in a fight isn't fear. _

It couldn't end like this.

The thought flashed through Urahara's mind as the monster that he'd help create, just as much as Aizen had, growled low in its throat. Its bright yellow eyes bore into him. Those eyes… they looked so empty. There was nothing reflected except the image of him standing before the monster.

And boy was it a sorry sight.

He had no hat on and his hair was covered in grime, sticking up in odd angles. The wound from before stood vivid across his chest, drenching his outfit with red. And his face. Oh his face. He looked like he'd been through hell and back; his face was dark as well as pathetic. There was no fight left in his expression just hopelessness and shame written all over.

The worst part though was his own eyes. It was his own eyes looking back at him that spoke to him.

They looked almost as empty as the monster's.

Urahara's eyes narrowed as his hand clenched around his sword's handle until his knuckles were white. He chided himself mentally.

Nothing would come of those eyes, not redemption or the end of it all.

No. Those eyes, his eyes, spoke only of things that would haunt him forever if he didn't do something.

_Nothing can be born from that. _

The monster roared, the sound seeming to shake the ground. It rushed at him, it's maw open and ready to bite.

Urahara waited until he could see the white teeth inches from his face before he moved his body just enough to avoid the bite.

_If you dodge, 'I won't let them cut me.'_

Urahara remained calm, the monster so close that he could smell it and look directly into those empty eyes.

He couldn't leave Ichigo like this.

If he did, how'd he be able to face his friend?

He had to finish what he'd started; he had to pay for making the Hogyoku in the first place.

_If you protect someone, 'I won't let them die.' _

With the monster almost on top of him, Urahara rested his hand on the monster's side. For a moment, the monster didn't move. It didn't attack. And for a moment, Urahara just stayed with his hand resting on it. He didn't start the sealing spell that would finish it all.

Their eyes met and Urahara never looked away from those shining yellow eyes as he started the sealing.

_If you attack, 'I'll cut them.' _

Time seemed to slow as the monster didn't react for a few seconds. It seemed to not know what to do. It growled, a deep sound that sent chills down Urahara's spine, but it did nothing more.

Urahara's stare burned into those eyes. The sealing was almost complete.

_Well, can't you see the resolve to cut you reflected in my sword?_

But that was when Urahara felt a stabbing pain through his chest. He looked down and saw the monster's black tail sticking out of him. It pulled out its tail in a violent motion, leaving Urahara swaying where he stood and scarlet drops flying everywhere.

Blood pored from the complete hole through his chest; he lifted his hand from the monsters flank to run his hand over his wound. He couldn't quite comprehend when his hand was covered in red. He stared down at it, a bitter smile making its way onto his face. The world flickered on and off to black. His vision became hazy as his limbs went cold. He couldn't breath, he couldn't move. It all seemed so utterly humorous.

A hole through the chest.

Urahara wanted to cry, he wanted to laugh, he wanted to scream… he had been so close to correcting his mistakes and yet here he was about to die right before he'd accomplished anything.

He lifted his hand one last time; it was covered in blood and shook as he reached out once more to lay in on the monster's side.

With the last bit of his strength, he finished out the sealing the best he could. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't entirely complete, but it was at least something.

'It might slow him down…' Urahara thought bitterly as he felt himself fall to his knees.

The monster stood before him, looking down at him. Urahara knew that he was imaging it, but it looked like the thing was almost laughing at him.

That was when a beam of purple light that seemed to explode from within the monster shot him straight through the head.

His last thoughts were not of the pain, the numb ice that seemed to engulf him, no. It was simply the fact that if his poor hat had been on his head, it would have just been blasted to bits.

And that it was a good thing he'd left it to his friend to watch.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Yup, i dont own.

Wow. This is the end... I'm going to post this last bit as two chapters, but in my mind they need to be read right after each other... so yup. It's been a long journey... the beginning was rough- to block like and written in only a semi-decent way- and I'm still shocked that anyone was able to get past the first few chapters to get to this ending point. I would like to thank everyone; it was all because of my readers that this story came to this point. I would like to think that I've grown as a writer throughout writing this story... and I would love to hear your input. **Please, PLEASE, after reading both of these chapters give me a nice long analysis on the overall story, what I could have done better, if you liked it/hated it**...

I hope you have enjoyed yourselves reading this little fanfiction that I started when I was only an incoming freshman in high school and finished as an incoming freshman in college.

So I'll shut up now. This is my goodbye to all of you readers **but just remember that I'm willing to take new requests** if you like my writing style and have an idea floating around in your head that you'd like me to attempt! I write to get better at it, so any practice is appreciated and I don't want this to be a permanent end!

Read, enjoy... **and review one last time!**

* * *

Everything was a blur. Blood, guts, and screams. Kill. Kill. Kill.

Nothing stood out, nothing mattered.

Body's fell before him.

and again.

Until there was no one else left.

There was this odd feeling within him. It seemed to tug him out from deep within. He kept trying to swat it away, but it seemed to wrap itself around his arms. His legs.

Slowly, it seemed to be all around him. He tried to resist, but slowly he felt something- he wasn't sure what- crumbling away.

Consciousness came back gradually yet suddenly. It seemed one minute there was only black the next he could hear. All he heard was screams and this monstrous growling and roaring. He flinched away from it.

"Stop." He tried to say, but all he could hear was a muffled word.

Then suddenly he could feel. Claws. Claws and teeth. They ripped and tore. He could taste blood; he could feel the warm, sticky liquid covering him. And a tail. It seemed to swing around, crashing into soft things… bodies? He felt what must have been bodies get broken as the tail- was it his?- flew around relentlessly. He whimpered, not liking the feeling of the claws cutting through flesh, the teeth biting and tearing while the taste of blood ran into his mouth, the feeling of bones cracking under the tail.

He felt the claws crumble away, the teeth- his mouth- turn back to normal, and the tail slouch off in a fleshy sound of skin detaching and falling to the ground with a wet squash that was sickening to hear.

Then, before he knew it, he was standing, staring out at a sea of blood and carnage. Nobody else was standing; he was the only living person.

He couldn't understand, couldn't remember what had happened. He looked down at himself, his body as numb as his thoughts. Black flesh was peeling off of him; almost all of it was gone. Looking around him, he could see patches of what must have been the black flesh, now looking a sickly grey color. He watched with hollow fascination as the grey patches of flesh slowly deteriorated to ash.

It was then that he noticed he was splattered with blood and he was only wearing these torn black pants. He didn't think the blood was his own; except for a thin line of pink flesh that stretched across his side, he seemed to have no wounds. And he had no idea where the pants were from.

He didn't even know where he was or how he'd gotten here.

Looking around, he thought he must be in hell.

But who was he?

Why was he here and how'd he get here?

It took him a minute of staring around at the blood and torn up bodies and at his pale hands that were stained scarlet to come to the conclusion that he'd had something to do with the scene around him.

"_Ichigo," _a sad voice murmured from somewhere.

Was that who he was? Ichigo?

He looked around, trying to find where the voice could have possibly come from. Everywhere he looked everyone was dead.

"_Ichigo…" _the voice whispered again.

And that was when it all came back to him.

He remembered everything. A wave of utter melancholy seemed to weigh heavy on his shoulders. He looked around again at the carnage, seeing it all with a new horror, as he knew for certain that it was all due to his hands.

There was no one left, he'd killed them all.

_Kill everyone._

Ichigo felt a pit of bitterness well up within him. He tasted bile in his mouth as he felt like he was going to choke on all the emotions flying through his head.

He stared out at the sea of destruction he'd caused, his expression empty despite the emotions that threatened to rip him apart from within.

"_Ichigo," _the Hogyoku whispered sadly.

"_Go away." _ He didn't think he could deal with anyone right now. It was all too much.

"_Ichigo… it's alright." _The Hogyoku tried to console.

Ichigo threw back his head and laughed, it was a raw, bitter, crazed sound. It tore through his throat roughly, leaving a pungent taste behind.

"_Alright," _he thought, _"Sure."_

He shook his head and smiled brokenly as he slowly walked through the mass of blood and bodies.

_I'm alright._

Images flashed across his mind, haunting him. The two Espada. The countless, innocent underlings. Asano… Miharu… and… and Tatsuki.

"_Monster."_

_I'm alright._

He saw himself slash right through Ishida. Saw Chad's face as he'd stabbed him through the neck.

He saw the blood, his friend's blood, surrounding him… he saw himself not even caring.

_I'm alright._

Orihime's face looking at him in terror. Her small hand clutching the end of Ulquiorra's top in fear of him. The way that she looked at Ulquiorra full of hope and trust.

"_How vulgar the true you is."_

_I'm alright._

"_You're earned your spot as an Espada…"_

_ "Bereavement. Or more simply, the loss of love…"_

He saw Ulquiorra stand before his blade, before it could stab Orihime, off of instinct. He saw Ulquiorra desperately look behind him at Orihime, reaching out his hand towards her. He saw Orihime reach out for him as well.

"_Even as an Espada, you're still naïve… boy."_

_I'm alright._

He saw Ulquiorra gain what he'd lost. A heart. He saw Ulquiorra fade away to nothing.

"_Do you… Think…That… I… Was able to change?"_

_I'm alright._

He saw himself as he walked towards Orihime. As she looked up at him. As he rested his sword against her neck. Her sad smile. As her head flew through the air.

"_I'm sorry… you'll be all alone now huh?"_

_I'm alright._

He heard his chuckle, felt the new power, as the Hogyoku combined with him. He saw the fear in Aizen's eyes. Heard the words, his orders, to "kill everyone" and end the game.

"_A new game… But are you the king of this new game or just another pawn, I wonder?"_

_I'm alright._

He saw Grimmjaw's glare as he stabbed him. His last, futile, reach towards him while dying.

"_A fool trying to play at being king."_

_ "But… don't the fools die?"_

_I'm alright._

He saw himself blindly cutting through person after person. Saw Yumichika and Ikkaku dead on the ground before he even realized it. He saw Kenpachi's rage, heard his barked out laugh. He saw Kenpachi get cut down. Saw Kenpachi stab through himself to reach him.

"_I didn't want something stupid like revenge… but I still wanted to pound you for them… is that considered revenge I wonder?"_

_I'm alright?_

He heard Rukia's yell full of her pain. Saw her as the swords cut through her and held her in the air.

"_Justice. I'll show you Justice."_

He saw himself shoot the cero. Saw the scorched piece of cloth fly through the air. Saw the blankness on Byakuya's face as he realized Renji was dead.

"_Sorry I didn't leave much of him."_

He saw Byakuya falter at killing him. Saw as Byakuya accepted his death by Ichigo's hands. Saw that small smile as he was stabbed through from behind.

"_Where's that stupid pride of yours now?"_

_What…_

He remembered the feeling of losing the Hogyoku. The blinding pain. Getting it back… and turning into a monster. He saw himself tearing Aizen apart as he cried out in fear… his own father who couldn't even raise his sword… Urahara, who tried to help him, getting a hole driven through his chest…

Him tearing apart everyone left standing.

"_But... I was meant to be God."_

_Is alright?_


	30. Chapter 30

"_You're crying." _The Hogyoku pointed out.

Ichigo didn't understand what he was talking about until he felt the warm tears sliding down his face and falling to the blood soaked ground.

Ichigo smiled still, even as the tears flowed down his face. He walked on, wading through the blood and gore.

He had been a fool. A fool who had thought himself capable of being a God… untouchable… and maybe he had been- was- untouchable now… but being untouchable didn't seem like such a great thing anymore. He was left all alone, with nobody else left standing. Alone, with only cold bodies and warm blood as company. But yet he was still standing and fine. Still damnably fine. The bodies would decay over time, the blood would dry up… but yet he'd still be left to live on with nothing but his power.

Was this what it really meant to be a God?

It was a lonely thing then.

"_Yes." _Ichigo vacantly answered, _"I guess I am."_

"_Ichigo… Are you okay?"_

Ichigo paused, the empty smile sliding off his face.

"_I'm… Alright."_

He could think of the answer. He thought about it for no more then a moment, but yet he couldn't say it. The truth wouldn't come and the lie came so easily.

"_No… that's not what I meant. I know you're alright… but…" _the Hogyoku's voice faded before it whispered so quietly that it could have just been the breeze, _"But… are you happy?"_

Happy. He couldn't think of the last time he'd been happy; he wasn't even sure if he was _allowed_ to be happy.

There was a heart-wrenching sob from somewhere. It sounded so sad and broken and… not happy… and it took Ichigo a moment to realize that it had been him, that it had torn from deep within his throat, his cold heart.

"_No."_

"_Just tell me," _came the Hogyoku's voice, it seeming like a small, weak voice in his head for the first time, _"What would make you happy?"_

Ichigo didn't think about the answer this time before he found himself answering, _"I just…"_

"I just want everything to go back to the way it was." He murmured out to the sky, his voice echoing across the battlefield like a whisper of wind.

The Hogyoku didn't respond for a bit. After a few minutes it finally answered, _"I can do it… but… but it would use up all the power I have. The clock would be reset… but without me."_

Ichigo smiled softly, suspecting the next words the Hogyoku said.

"_And you and me are now the same thing."_

Ichigo just smiled on, his expression relaxed as he looked no more at the bloody battlefield but up to the fake sky. Ichigo absentmindedly ran his finger along the hole in his neck, the light from the fake sky making his pale skin seem to glow.

"_Then I guess it's the end of our story, huh?"_

Ichigo felt the Hogyoku smile at his words. He knew that the Hogyoku wasn't bad, it had just wanted him to be happy and to do so it had gone along with whatever his emotions had wanted.

"_I guess it is."_

Ichigo looked down at his hands, they were already transparent. He felt his body slowly start to fade away. It wasn't painful. It was almost… refreshing. He closed his eyes.

Now everything could go back to the way it was before… even if it was without him. He found it odd that the thought didn't bother him in any way.

"_Ichigo." _came a deep male voice.

Ichigo opened his eyes, surprised but yet not shocked when he saw that he was in his inner world with a tall dark figure before him with cliché glasses.

"Zangetsu." Ichigo smiled warmly, his chest feeling light and free, "Old man."

The old man smiled down at him. The world around the two of them was shining and bright and… slowly fading away. The dark clothes that Zangetsu wore looked odd against the light background, and for no reason at all Ichigo found himself laughing hysterically while crying uncontrollably.

Zangetsu watched him, still smiling, but with a tinge of sadness to it.

"Figures," Ichigo choked out between the tears, as he tried to wipe them away, with a big smile, "That as soon as I get to see you again is when I'm about to erase my own existence…"

"Ichigo." Zangetsu comforted in his gruff way as he rested his hand on his head, "It's because in the end you found your humanity again."

Ichigo shook, trying his best not to cry but ending up just sniffling pathetically.

"I messed up Old man… horribly… I didn't find anything I'm just putting all the bad things I did back to how they should be…"

Zangetsu shook his head, a small smile on his face. He drew Ichigo into a hug, "No. You did a good job."

Ichigo started crying again. Openly balling his eyes out. His face scrunched up as he cried, the feeling of sadness at having to leave Zangetsu again mixed with the simple joy of being able to see him one last time.

The thought finally hit him in its entirety; he wasn't ever coming back again.

Ichigo's frown turned into a wide smile, "Thank you old man. Thank you for never leaving me."

Zangetsu chuckled as he pushed Ichigo gently away, "You're still such a fool."

Ichigo smiled, wiping away the last of his tears as he sat on the ground. His expression became brooding as he looked around at the bright, fading landscape of his fading inner world, "Hey… Old man… I'm… I guess I'm a little afraid. Is that foolish?"

Zangetsu shook his head, still smiling "You're afraid of death?"

Ichigo closed his eyes, feeling himself and Zangetsu starting to fade away, "No… not death… but… not existing anymore."

"It's not foolish." Zangetsu sighed, and when Ichigo opened his eyes he was almost completely gone. He looked sad.

_"Ichigo."_ The Hogyoku whispered throughout his fading world, _"I'm sorry… It's time. I can't hold on anymore."_

Ichigo nodded and smiled at Zangetsu- he refused to cry anymore even if he could feel the tears burning behind his eyes, "So this is goodbye Old man."

Zangetsu nodded slowly, "Yes, this time I guess it is."

For some reason, even as everything started to fade and all Ichigo could see was a blinding white, he remembered those words that Ulquiorra had spoken to him.

"_It'll be your absence of humanity that'll destroy you in the end. And that is something that you accomplished all on your own."_

In the end, it hadn't been his absence of humanity that had been his undoing but his lingering traces of it. His wanting, deep down, to set everything back to how it should be. Ichigo felt happy that he'd been able to prove Ulquiorra wrong, not because he felt any more traces of resentment towards him, but just because he was happy that in the end they were both able to change their stories.

**FIN**


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